


Learning About the One You Love

by NebulaEyes



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: 6000 Years of Pining (Good Omens), Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale is Bad at Feelings (Good Omens), Confused Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley Was Raphael Before Falling (Good Omens), Crowley is Bad at Feelings (Good Omens), Crowley is a Mess (Good Omens), Curious Aziraphale (Good Omens), Fluff, Idiots in Love, Living Together, Love Confessions, Love Letters, Lucifer Redemption, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Aziraphale (Good Omens), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Protective Lucifer, Rated E because I'm paranoid, Sexual Content, South Downs Cottage (Good Omens), Tags May Change, but a cute one, kind of love letters, of a sort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-01 21:16:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20901770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebulaEyes/pseuds/NebulaEyes
Summary: As they dine at the Ritz to celebrate the Nopocalypse, they somehow shift into the topic of moving out of London, and living together. They eventually do, of course, but what will Aziraphale learn about Crowley as they live together? What happens when Heaven and Hell aren't done with them yet? What happens when God and Lucifer personally get involved? Will Aziraphale ever confess his love for Crowley? Will he ever notice how much Crowley loves him, or will someone have to tell him?





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I have just been informed that this fanfic is showing up as a T rating when it, in fact, is not. It is an E rating. I am sorry for any confusion or inconvenience! 
> 
> On my phone it shows up as it is supposed to. As an E...but I have been shown it is not the case for some. Thank you for reading this and I apologize again.

"To the world." Aziraphale agreed with an emphasis on the word 'world', trying to convey what he realized in 1941, but what he's felt for the past six thousand years. What he was now free to feel. After they allowed their glasses to ring after clinking against each other, he took a sip, and with a newfound excitement, put his glass down and immediately looked to Crowley. "So, what do you think we should do now?"

"What do you mean?" Crowley asked with a curious brow.

"Well, I mean, we're both free now. You've made Heaven terrified of me, and Hell thinks you're their worst nightmare. So, what now?"

"I still don't quite understand, I guess. Is there something YOU want to do?" He asked before taking another sip of his champagne.

"Well, for one, I don't think I want to live in London anymore." At that, Crowley choked on his drink. "Oh! Oh, my Dear, are you all right?"

"You what!?" He asked once he was able to form words. "You want to move!?"

"W-Well..." Aziraphale gave a shrug, unsure of the idea now from Crowley's reaction.

"Angel, I'm for it, before you start getting notions that I'm against it, but...you've lived in the same place for decades...CENTURIES even. Not only that, but I know more than anyone that you despise change more than you despise having customers in your shop. For someone's sake, you've worn the same coat for a hundred and eighty years!"

"I-I'm glad you're for it." Aziraphale nodded with a slight flush to his face, NOT caused by alcohol. "I just...well...the way Heaven saw my bookshop was how they originally saw my place at the Eastern Gate. It was where they could reach me. It was my post. It was where I was to be if I wasn't out preforming miracles. I...I don't want to live there anymore, and besides, what good is a bookshop when we both know I won't sell a single book?"

"Right, you have a point there. All right, well..." Crowley pursed his lips slightly while Aziraphale was waiting for further response. "...I suppose somewhere near the sea."

"Oh! That would be lovely, but Dear...why the sea?" His chest felt warmer than it had in a very long time, and he knew it was the love he had for Crowley. What he didn't know is why it was seemingly growing more and more when he thought it impossible. He thought he had loved Crowley to his limit, but his heart had other plans.

Crowley gave him a soft smile, softer than Aziraphale had ever seen or been privileged to see, and it nearly took his breath away. "Do you want me to give you the sappy honest answer, or just the simple version?"

"Oh, the sappy version, I believe." He grinned with a mischievous look in his eyes that he hadn't meant to give off, but he rarely heard Crowley be, as he would say, sappy.

"Right, well, I love the smell of the ocean, it relaxes me, and sometimes, I like to walk along the beach at night, moonlit night or no, and I like to look up at the sky. To the stars. The sound of the ocean in my ears and possibly wind in the trees, I think I could be truly content living near such a place. I'd like to go swimming in the ocean, rest on the warm sand, and the rain that comes from the ocean is always the best. I love rain and thunderstorms."

"Wait, you love?" He blinked a few times, as if his eyes would help determine what he heard with his ears.

"Yes, I love." Crowley stated simply, and if Aziraphale didn't know any better, he would say there was a hint of bitterness in the tone, which told him that perhaps he DIDN'T know better.

"Sorry, it's just...I..."

"No, I understand. I do. It's just...never mind." He shook his head and as he did so, a pang of guilt shot through Aziraphale's heart, but the love still remained. "Anyway, yes, I'd love to live near the Ocean. Perhaps somewhere there's some trees too."

"Oh! Yes!" Aziraphale chimed. "And perhaps some land. Enough for you to have your Garden. Your own mini Eden."

"Yes!" Crowley laughed out. "That'll be something, wouldn't it? The former Guardian of the Eastern Gate of Eden and the original tempter living together with a mini Eden! Oh, that would be...that...would...be..." Crowley slowed down as a look of realization dawned on him. "W-Wait...did we both just assume that we'd live together?"

Aziraphale spluttered incoherent noises for a few seconds before letting out a shaky breath. "Y-Yes, I...I supposed we did."

"Right then." Crowley said before downing the rest of his champagne, seemingly regretting it, but also seemingly not caring. "Is that...is that something you want to do? Live together? With me?"

"You know...I rather think it is." Aziraphale admitted to Crowley as much as he was admitting it to himself. "You would have your Garden, the sea, and I would have my own little library. Likely not in the house, but perhaps a small side building of some sorts."

"You could have a side building AND a room for your books if you want. Just put your favorite ones in the room in the house...or cottage."

"Oh, a cottage sounds lovely." He breathed out, his heart feeling a bit too tight for his chest as it seemed that it was something that Crowley wanted as well.

"Right then...so...maybe South Downs?"

"Really? You think so?" Aziraphale tilted his head, unable to stop the small smile appearing on his face.

"Only place that might have everything we want."

"Right...so..."

"When do we leave, Angel?" Crowley grinned and even though his glasses were still on, Aziraphale could still tell that there was something different in his eyes. He could just barely see it past the black tint, but it was there. A softness and something else. Something he's seen before, but it had been snuffed out too many times for him to give it a name. Now, he hope he might be able to try and name it.

"Well, we would have to find a cottage first, then we would have to apply for it, I believe, and then...well...we'll figure it out from there, but after all that, then we would pick colors, curtains, what not, and then we would move in. D-Does that sound...amenable to you?"

"You know..." Crowley let out an honest chuckle that held warmth, disbelief, mirth, joy, and that something else that was somehow in both the sound of the chuckle and in his eyes that Aziraphale just couldn't quite fathom yet. "...I think it does."

It was the following year that they applied for the cottage, and they did it that way so that Crowley could go swimming immediately after moving in, and they could enjoy the warm summer breeze coming off of the Ocean. The cottage they had picked was oddly perfect. There was plenty of land for a Garden and an extra small off to the side building as well as a greenhouse, and there was more than enough room for a Garden, some trees, and even enough room for Adam and the Them to play if they wanted to visit. The cottage wasn't too big, nor was it too small. It had three bedrooms, one bigger than the other two, which Aziraphale told Crowley if they got the cottage, that Crowley would be taking it, because he slept more. The cottage was also as Crowley wanted it, and it was within walking distance to the Ocean.

They had just finished deciding on colors and design when Crowley heard his phone going off, chiming with its e-mail notification tone. He opened up and read it once, twice, three times, then Aziraphale finally had enough. "What is it!?"

"We...we got the cottage." Crowley looked up at Aziraphale with a completely stunned expression. "We...this is real...isn't it? I'm not dreaming?"

"Of course it's real, my Dear. Why would you think it's a dream?"

Crowley looked back and forth from his phone to Aziraphale a couple of times before putting it in his pocket once more. "No reason." He quickly answered. "So...I suppose all we have left is to move in."

"I suppose so, my Dear. It'll take some time with my books, but will you be patient with me?"

"Always, Angel." Crowley answered, and because he didn't have his glasses on, Aziraphale could see that soft look in his eyes, but somehow, there was a twinge of sadness to them as well.

"Well..." He started as he pushed past the lump in his throat and the weight that look had on him as well as the mystery behind what it was, and he cleared his throat. "...we best get started then, shall we?"

"I'll go and pack my things at my place. Won't take long, and I'll get a moving truck and I'll come and help you pack everything we can in the first trip. We'll organize little by little and while we're doing that, I can build you the extra building for your other books."

"That sounds wonderful and logical, but um...Crowley...do you even know anything about carpentry or building a...well...building? It would be like a very small cottage for my books alone."

"Of course I know about carpentry. Jesus taught me."

"I'm sorry..." Aziraphale croaked out in pure astonishment. "...I must've heard you wrong. Did you say that JESUS...son of GOD taught you!?"

"Yes. It was before I was sent to tempt him. We became friends. He knew I was a demon, but he also knew who I was before I fell. One of his many gifts, I suppose."

"I...I didn't know." He whispered, holding a hand over his heart, to stop it's tragic heartfelt pounding. _'How must he have felt watching Jesus being Crucified, then?'_ He thought with an echoing sorrow.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Angel, but now you might get to know. All right, I'll be back. Won't take long, like I said."

"O-Okay." He answered before watching Crowley leave the bookshop. _'Just how much do I not know...about the demon I'm in love with!?'_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I have just been informed that this fanfic is showing up as a T rating when it, in fact, is not. It is an E rating. I am sorry for any confusion or inconvenience! 
> 
> On my phone it shows up as it is supposed to. As an E...but I have been shown it is not the case for some. Thank you for reading this and I apologize again.

Aziraphale and Crowley were mostly moved in to their cottage, all that was left was for Crowley to drive Aziraphale and the rest of his books back to the cottage. Crowley had unpacked and placed everything the way Aziraphale asked him, because he didn't want Aziraphale to see his small book cottage that Crowley had built more and more every day and night after unpacking and placing as much as he could. Now, everything in the cottage was up, and the book cottage was ready. The colors they chose for the inside were white, black, gold, and silver. It seemed only fitting with the swap they did to fool Heaven and Hell. "All right...we're here." Crowley announced as he parked the moving truck. "Hold on, Angel. Close your eyes."

"What!? How am I supposed to get out then!?"

"Just trust me." How a plea could sound soft and so full of confidence was beyond Aziraphale, but he did as he was asked. Once he did, he heard Crowley get out of the driver side, then he heard his door open. After that, he felt Crowley's calloused hand hold his soft one, causing his breath to hitch as a warm feeling spread from his hand, up his arm, and down his spine. "Don't worry, Angel. I won't let you fall." The words alone, with his eyes closed, hearing them in such a way while Crowley was holding his hand, he nearly cried from how much it effected his heart, but he couldn't let that happen so he just nodded his head, and allowed Crowley to guide him out of the truck. "That's good. Now, put your foot down just a bit, there's a step there." It took him a few seconds, but he found it. "Right, now the other foot." Once he did that, there was a soft squeeze of his hand. "Great, now...you're going to take one more step, but it's a big one so be careful."

He did as he was asked, but misjudged the distance, and began falling, but he never hit the ground. Crowley held him tightly as if he weighed nothing when the weight of him his Crowley's front. He blinked up a few times, and the smile he saw, accompanied by the sunset shining just right on his golden serpent-like eyes, it all made his heart do acrobatics that he was certain not even a human heart should be capable of. _'Right...how am I going to NOT tell him how hopelessly in love I am with him if he keeps being so damn charming!?'_ The thing was, he truly wanted to tell Crowley. He wanted to kiss the words all over him until it was etched into Crowley's being as much as it was his own, but he was so certain that Crowley couldn't feel the same, so he was determined to hold back the words his heart and grace ached to say or even whisper. "Th-Thank you."

"Anytime." Crowley's smile grew bigger and somehow softer. "Right..." He quickly wiped the smile off for reasons lost on Aziraphale, and he cleared his throat. "...Close your eyes again, Angel." He did as he was asked, and allowed Crowley to lead him wherever he needed him. As he did so, he imagined all the times throughout history that God had tested the faith of humans, and he imagines it was somewhat similar. Not as grand, of course, but similar. He was trusting Crowley to not allow him to fall, stumble, or bump into anything, and before he knew it, he was stopped.

"Crowley...this doesn't feel at all like we've gone inside."

"That's because we haven't. You can open your eyes now." When he did, he immediately staggered back to the point of almost falling, but Crowley caught him once again. "Whoa there, Angel." Crowley laughed warmly as he helped Aziraphale get steady once more. They both looked at the small book cottage Crowley had promised. It was made of the strongest wood Crowley could find, and he worked it to perfection for the cottage after he had set the foundation and everything necessary to start with the wood. He built it from the ground up, and it showed. Not in the way that one would think it was sloppy or poorly done, but in a way that showed someone took a lot of time, effort, and care into building it. The steps were made of the same wood, there was a porch with two rocking chairs and a table between them, the door was painted to be darker and shinier than the rest of the small cottage, and the windows were decent size with shudders on the inside, in case Aziraphale wanted to open the windows to let light and air in. The next thing that Aziraphale noticed was that there was a chimney.

"Cr-Crowley..." He whispered out, not caring that tears fell from his face as he stared at the beautiful mini cottage that Crowley had created for him for the rest of his books.

"Oh...Angel...please don't cry." Crowley pouted as he wiped away his tears with gentle thumbs. "D-Do you not like it?"

"D-Don't be a-absurd." He choked out a laugh and a sob as he shook his head, his eyes still on the mini cottage. "I-It's beautiful. I...this is really for me?"

"If you want it to be. I'll admit, I put some of your favorite books in there already. That way, you'll like it even more, but yeah. There's a fireplace, a small kitchen, a kettle, some pots and pans for you, and the fridge, as well as the pantry is stocked full of food and ingredients. It's the same in the big cottage, but this way, if you want to spend hours and hours reading, you can, and there'll be no pesky customers to stop you. Ah, but um...I didn't add a bedroom...but your favorite chair is in there. You're bedroom is just next to mine in the big cottage."

"Crowley...it's perfect. I...I had no idea you could do this!"

"I can do a lot of things, Angel. It's just...they weren't very demony things, so I wasn't allowed to do them, otherwise...questions, but now I can. Now, let's go inside." He dangled a key in front of Aziraphale's face, waiting for him to take it. Once he did, they walked up to the door, and Aziraphale unlocked it, revealing the charming, warm, and comfortable inside. Crowley flipped on a light switch, which wasn't too bright, nor too dim, it was just the right light that a desk lamp might give off if one was to read in their chair, but the warm glowing light covered everything somehow. Aziraphale's favorite chair was just off the corner of the fireplace, but far enough away from any books and from the chair itself. There was a small sofa to match the chair, which surprised Aziraphale, but it also warmed his heart.

Aziraphale looked down at the rug in front of the fireplace and choked out another sob-laugh. "You got a tartan rug."

"Eh, just the pattern of your bow-tie, really, but yeah. Thought it was a bit appropriate. I know it doesn't match everything we agreed on for the big cottage, but just like I have my Garden, you have your space, and it should be completely yours."

"Thank you, but um...I don't see any bookshelves. You said you brought my favorite books in here as well."

"Ah!" Crowley smirked as he walked to one of the walls. He then pointed to a golden rectangle that had just enough of an indent to pull the wall to the side. "This here will open up the entire wall for you if you wished." He pulled on it to show him, taking it all the way to the end. "This way, your books aren't only safe, but they won't fall. I know how much it upset you if they would fall, so I made the walls...your bookshelves. I also thought about how much you like secret passage ways, so...that idea came here, too. Every wall in your mini cottage has this. I'll show you where every...handle...is later. C'mon! You HAVE to see the kitchen!" Aziraphale couldn't hold his tears back anymore at all, and started sobbing as he looked around, clutching a hand to his chest. "Angel!? What's wrong!?"

"N-Nothing's wr-wrong...I just...Crowley, wh-why would y-you do a-all of this...for me? I...I've been nothing but horrible to you."

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Crowley asked as he guided Aziraphale to his favorite chair. He took some logs from the log stand he set next to the fireplace and started a fire, in an apparent attempt to calm Aziraphale's nerves. "Now...there's a fire going..." He started as he sat down on his sofa across from Aziraphale. "...I repeat...what on Earth are you talking about when you say you've been horrible to me?"

"W-Well...f-for starters...for the past six thousand years when a human has assumed I'm your friend I tell them I'm not, I acted as if I wasn't. I've shouted at you, yelled at you, and for six thousand years, I've belittled you and said horrible things to you. The...The bandstand...while the world was ending...I honestly don't think I'll be able to forgive myself for the words I said to you, but Crowley...six thousand years and you've always been there for me, thinking about me before yourself, and as you kept describing what you put in here, on here, and why...I...I just...HOW, Crowley!? WHY, Crowley!?"

"You're going to have to be more specific on the How and Why bit, but as for everything else...I understood why you had to treat me that way. Besides, as a demon, I technically deserved it from the moment I fell."

"No." Aziraphale immediately said. "I can't believe that. You're too kind, too nice, to wonderful, and I've seen how much you love and care for the humans. You've healed them, you've saved children, you've...you've taught them so much when they needed to learn new things. I just...you're more of an angel than most angels. I don't believe you deserved any of how I treated you. The How part, though...I want to know how you can do this all so selflessly and how you can treat me with such kindness and such careful thought."

"Ah, well, I was a bit selfish. There are two chairs out front and the sofa's mine." He made an example by bouncing up and down a bit, drawing out a small tearful smile from Aziraphale. "Some of my favorite food is in your pantry and fridge, too."

"That's another thing, I...I don't cook. The most I can do is make some tea and hot cocoa."

"You're right." Crowley nodded with a knowing look in his eyes, as he tucked a lock of his medium length wavy hair behind his ear. "You can't cook, but I can. I can cook almost anything. I have plenty of berry bushes growing, and I've planted some vegetables and fruit in the garden. I also have a couple of apple and orange trees out behind the big cottage, so...fresh fruits, berries, and vegetables. I'll have to go down to the market to get meat though, but I already stocked us up pretty well. So...my point is...I'll cook for you. If there are days where you would rather stay and read, just let me know and I'll cook you anything you want, however much you want."

"Y-You can cook? Wait...that brings me back to my other question." He shook his head, trying to gather himself, and although he was no longer sobbing as much as he was, the tears were still falling freely. "WHY, are you doing all of this for me? Why WOULD you? I...I've done nothing to deserve this."

"That has to be one of the dumbest things I've heard you say." Crowley grinned, seemingly wiping away Aziraphale's tears away with the simple action alone. "You're my Best Friend. Why wouldn't I think of you? Why wouldn't I want to do things for you? Six thousand years of half of a friendship, but I treasured it as a whole, because, well...you were kind to me, you would smile at me, you wanted to spend time with me, you didn't ridicule me unless you really had to or unless we were in public. Other than that, you'd let me in your home, you listened to me, even on my worst of days, and when I would fall asleep drunk on your couch or just in general, you would always bring me the softest blanket you had. I remember, you know..." Crowley's tone became quieter, yet to Aziraphale, it was as if it was echoing in a large cavern. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Such trivial things in his opinion, led Crowley to be so kind and caring. He guessed it was true then, treat others how you want to be treated, and they had done a lot of that in small increments apparently, but also, it seemed the smallest things meant whole worlds to Crowley. "...back in Eden." He continued. "I remember before the humans were created, I remember my life as an angel, I remember everything, and I especially remember the Garden. I helped take care of it, after all. It was one of my many jobs or tasks, but I think the best part about Eden...was when I met you."

"WHAT!? Why!?" He questioned, trying not to go through the long list of angels that helped with the Garden, because the Garden was huge, and if he did go through the list and eliminate the obvious, he might find out what Crowley used to do, and that would be like rubbing salt in a wound, he was sure.

"Because...I hadn't been a demon for long, but you and the rest of Heaven had been told all kinds of things about us. How we're incapable of positive feelings, how we can't love, how we're vicious, how we'll try and tempt you to fall, how we'll defile the humans, how we would defile angels, how we torture, our weakness, our strengths, and that we should be smote on sight. Hell was made aware of all of it. You know...the saddest part...the part I do actually dislike the most about meeting you?" Aziraphale quickly noticed how his eyes shifted from fond to ashamed in only a matter of seconds, and it made something in his gut twist and pull in every direction imaginable. "It was the fact that I knew all of that...and that's why I went up to see you. At first. I WAS genuinely curious about you, because you weren't shaped like a normal angel or Principality, but as a cherub. I had friends that were cherubs. They weren't like you in personality at all, but they were roundish and soft, but not as much as you, but...anyway...I went up to you...because I knew you would have a flaming sword, but then I didn't see you have it. Then, you told me you gave it away to the humans, and for the first time since I fell...I smiled. I didn't smile because I was told to, I didn't smile because it was what I was meant to do, and I didn't smile because it meant I was meant to be alive for some reason...I smiled, because at that moment I thought, 'This angel right here, this completely nervous wreck of an angel gave away his God given flaming sword to the humans that I had tempted, because he cares about them. He wants them to be safe.' I couldn't believe it. Before I fell...I already loved the humans. I couldn't wait to meet them. I heard God talking about them, how they would look, likely act, how curious they would be, and I already loved them...but then she said she was going to test them. I understood...but it hurt...then you...you seemed to care for them as much as I did. Worried about them, even. It was...it was the first time since I fell...that I didn't feel like such an outcast. Then, you hovered your wing over me, protecting me from the rain as if it was the most natural thing to do. You were different in every way, and although I'm sure you could've smote me without your sword...you didn't."

"Y-You...you came up on the wall...for me to kill you?"

"Yes, but also because I was curious about you. I had seen the other guardians and they were all normal Principalities, but there was something different about you, and I thought...that's what I needed, and though it wasn't in the way I THOUGHT I needed it...it ended up being exactly what I really needed."

"H-How were you such an outcast in Hell?"

Crowley gave a light shrug. "Because...I can still feel love. I can still feel positive feelings, I can still be sad, be hurt, I can still enjoy things just for the sake of enjoying them, and I didn't hate the humans. Every. Single. Demon. Hated the humans, but I didn't. So...they sent me to go tempt them...as punishment for caring. They wanted to destroy what was left of my heart. It was genius, but then I met you, and that failed. Please...understand...after I met you, I had never thought about anything close to that ever again. Not even after I asked you for Holy Water and we had that fight, I still never once thought about it in the way you thought. Not after that. Then, I remember in Mesopotamia, during the flood, and I voiced my disgust in the children getting hurt and...you didn't think me strange, you didn't ask why I cared, you just...accepted it, and allowed me to be concerned for the children, and when I saved seven of them and hid them at the belly of the Ark, you didn't report me. In fact, you helped me look after them. After that, was Jesus' crucifixion, and you didn't ask why I was there, but you did ask why I would show him all of the kingdoms of the world, and it was so easy and amazing to be honest with you. If it were anyone else, I would have to say...defying God, tempting Her son, but no...I could give you an honest answer, because yeah...he was the son of God, but he was also human with real human feelings. He got angry, he got sad, he got frustrated, he got hurt, he felt joy, friendship, and heartache. Then there was Rome, and...for the first time ever, you asked me to join you for a meal, and I was shocked. Not just because you said YOU would tempt ME, but because you would actually want me there. Wessex...was bad, so I'm not gonna go there, but soon...you agreed to the Arrangement, and it was hard not to smile in Hell when I had to go back. I could list many others, but the list...quite frankly...is really long and I don't want to go through the whole blessed thing. Those are just some more reasons why I wanted to do this for you, because yeah, we had our fights, our outs, and our disagreements, but...eventually...you would still welcome me into your bookshop, or to dinner, or just in your company, and we would talk as if it didn't happen. Angel, you've no idea how much you've done or how important you are to me, and I...I know I sound like a sap, but please...don't ever think you've done nothing more than be horrible to me and belittle me. This..." He held up his arms to motion around the room. "...is just one thing I'm able to do for you now. More than just taking you out to plays, movies, meals, and walks in the park. I created a place for you, and I made sure you could be as happy in it as you've made me happy to be your friend."

"Crowley..." It was all Aziraphale could say while his heart was pounding all too fast and so hard, he could hear it in his ears. He was speechless and nearly breathless despite not needing to breathe or have a heartbeat, but he allowed them to go on an autopilot of sorts just to feel a bit closer to the humans, and right now, they were malfunctioning. Every syllable Crowley spoke gave off a pure air of honesty and something else that had always been there, but he still couldn't quite name.

"Hey, none of that now. I think I've been sappy enough to last me two whole months." He got up from the sofa and held out his hand. "Besides, I still have to show you the kitchen. I got you a new tea kettle and everything. You have a dining set in there too, but you don't have to use it if you don't want to." Crowley showed him the rest of the mini cottage, not that there was much to show, but by the time he was done, he stopped Aziraphale from going out the door. "Hey, how about you relax some here for a little bit, while I go into the main cottage and cook some dinner. What I want to cook...the ingredients are at the other house. Besides, I think that perhaps the stress of today...you need some time to yourself."

"Yes, I believe I do. Thank you, and...thank you so much for all of this."

Crowley opened the door with a small smile, revealing the moonlit night, dusting the grass, and all of the plants in it's calming rays before saying something that Aziraphale has heard before, but not quite in the same tone. "Don't thank me, Angel." And he left.

Once he was sure Crowley was in the main Cottage, he walked to his chair in front of the fire, sat down, and took a careful look around as well as replaying all of Crowley's words in his head. With a trembling lip, and renewed watery eyes, he put his face in his hands, letting out soft sobs. "God, I don't understand! H-How could you ever think he deserved to fall!? I...I don't deserve him. I don't. Oh, God, I don't deserve him, and I...I don't even have him, because...he can't know. He just...he can't. I...I can't ask for more than what he's already given me! I just...please, tell me why you thought he deserved to fall!? What could he, someone so kind, caring, and someone who loved your humans before they created SO MUCH, what could he have done that was so horrible that warranted him being ridiculed, ostracized, and so despised!?" He knew he wasn't going to get an answer, and honestly, he kind of hoped he didn't, because he wondered for a split second what God would say if she saw all of this, but he quickly shook that off and tried to focus on one of the books that Crowley had put in, and started reading it.

Soon, there was a knock on the door. "Aziraphale, it's me."

"Crowley, you don't have to knock." He chuckled out as he set his book down and doused the fire with a snap of his fingers. He opened the door, meeting Crowley, who looked as if he and the kitchen and perhaps some baking ingredients got into a food fight, and he couldn't help the soft giggle that left him, but it was only a further reminder of what Crowley had said.

"Dinner's ready, and I can show you the main cottage. I'll show you the Gardens tomorrow, and we'll unpack the rest of your books tomorrow, or...I guess you can do that after dinner if you want. Make it just to where you want it...anyway, c'mon." Aziraphale followed him into the cottage and it was laid out exactly like he and Crowley had talked about. Right down to the last decoration and painting. There was an oak coffee table painted with swirling black, white, and silver, which he supposed Crowley had a hand in now that he knew what he was capable of. The sofa and chair were silver, while the spare bookshelves in the living area were painted a shining black. The whole Cottage was what he wanted. Mostly silver, black, and white, and the deep rich brown colors that went throughout the cottage went well with it all. It probably shouldn't have, but it did.

"Crowley, not to be rude, but why do you look like you and the kitchen got into a bit of a brawl as it were."

"Ah, well, this usually happens. It's why I wear my black apron when I cook or bake. It's fine, it's fun. I enjoy it." They entered the dining room which was just outside the kitchen, but in the same area, and once again, the scene before him was perfect. "I made strawberry crepes for you, and apple and cinnamon crepes for me. Wasn't quite sure if it was a thing, but I made it anyway. Also, there's a chocolate cake baking in the oven. When it's cooled down, I'll put the dark chocolate frosting you like on it, and some chocolate covered strawberries."

"All these years, and you've never told me you could cook or bake. Why?" He asked as he sat down at the same time that Crowley set his strawberry crepes down in front of him, causing his eyes to widen a great deal, because...well...they were perfect.

"Like I said, Angel. There's a lot you don't know about me, but now you can know. Bit by bit, because...I don't think I'm going to do as much feeling sharing as I did earlier, but you get the idea." He sat down, and they ate their crepes together. Aziraphale was massively impressed at how well it tasted, and they started bantering about Crowley's cooking skills and Gardening skills. When the cake was done, Crowley allowed it to cool, then decorated it as he said he would, and finally, he gave Aziraphale a slice to eat. When he was done with that, Crowley decided to show Aziraphale to his bedroom. "Since you stay up more than I do, I gave you the room with the bathroom. I'll use the one in the hall."

He opened the door, turned on the light, and gasped at everything he saw. He had a brand new queen sized bed with a black bed spread, but white pillow cases for all four pillows. He had two nightstands that weren't black, white, or silver, but the paint and color of the wood, was somehow in the middle of all three. His curtains were white with intricate golden swirls, his dresser was painted silver with similar golden swirls, and as he looked around, he noticed he had more bookshelves that were filled with more of his books. "This is incredible, Crowley."

"Thanks. I wish I could take credit for the furniture in here, but I was busy with the mini cottage. I DID make the coffee table in the living area though. Well...I'm beat, and there's possibly a long day tomorrow, so I'm gonna go to bed. Night, angel."

"Goodnight, Crowley. Sleep well."

"You too, Aziraphale." As he closed his bedroom door, Aziraphale knew he wasn't going to be able to sleep at all even if he wanted to. There was just so much he didn't understand, so much he was learning, and he wondered just who exactly Crowley was to his core. The darkest depths of his oceans left unexplored, but he told Aziraphale that he could learn bit by bit. Then, it brought the question if he would know when he's learned everything, and after that...then what? So many questions, too many questions. He needs a book, and perhaps that will clear his head.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I have just been informed that this fanfic is showing up as a T rating when it, in fact, is not. It is an E rating. I am sorry for any confusion or inconvenience! 
> 
> On my phone it shows up as it is supposed to. As an E...but I have been shown it is not the case for some. Thank you for reading this and I apologize again.

_Contrary to popular belief, Aziraphale did sleep. He just didn't usually sleep for longer than three to four hours at a time. He didn't need to, but he quite enjoyed it, and as a result, he always knew when he was dreaming, because when the dream would start his body would feel ice cold then would quickly become a comforting warmth. At the moment, he was dreaming, but he didn't recognize where he was at. As a matter of fact, he could tell where he was at all. There was...nothing. Before he could question the dream there was a flash of white light, quickly revealing two entities. When the light vanished, it was clear to him who one of the entities were. It was God Herself. Her glowing white hair stopped in waves and ringlets very similar to Crowley's at the base of her shoulder blades, her dress was white with golden swirls, shapes, and wisps, and as she looked at the second entity next to Her, She was smiling a particular smile only a mother could muster. Aziraphale couldn't remember a time when he saw that particular smile on Her. Ever. So this was rather interesting. Dream or not, he was intrigued to watch how this played out and to find out who the second entity was._

_The second entity wore emerald green robes that were decorated with golden design along the sleeves and at the bottom of them where his bare feet were revealed. His hair was wavy, curly, and hung in ringlets like Crowley's, but unlike Crowley's it was ebony black and practically blended in with whatever place Aziraphale found himself in during his dream. His eyes could be seen as a forest green, and for some reason his face was similar to Crowley's, but his cheeks were rosy, his eyes shone with delight and excitement, and there was a smile on his face that a son could only give his mother. The cheeks were slightly fuller too, but only slightly. 'I can't possibly be seeing Crowley before he fell...could I?' Aziraphale thought to himself, but as he thought it, he realized it was the only conclusion for how similar he looked compared to Crowley._

_"Mother..." The voice echoed and Aziraphale's eyes widened as he realized even further that this was truly Crowley. WAS truly Crowley. "...haven't spoken with you in a long time. Well, I shouted at you during Armageddon, but I wouldn't call that speaking with you."_

_"No, I wouldn't either. More like you were speaking or shouting to me." She chuckled warmly before waving a hand, changing the nothing scenery to the Garden of Eden at the ground level over by one of the waterfalls._

_"Ah, Eden...which means this is a serious conversation." Crowley walked over to one of the large oak trees, sat, and rested his back and head against it, while God did the same, but just next to him. "Why are we here? We haven't been here since 1941 when you called me an ineffable idiot for waltzing into a church, which I'm still not sorry for by the way. I rescued Aziraphale and that's all that mattered."_

_"Well, you see, that's partially why we're here. Your trials, Crowley...I know what the two of you did."_

_Aziraphale paled while Crowley quickly got up from the tree, and his wings spread, but that's when Aziraphale's paled face quickly flushed and his jaw dropped in awe. Six wings. He was an Archangel! "You can't have him! I...I won't let you! Take me! Please, I beg you!" Crowley got on his knees and bowed his head all the way to the ground, clasping his hands together in front of him. "Take me, do whatever you want with me, but don't...don't hurt him, don't destroy him. I'll do anything. I'll go back to Hell, I'll be under Lucifer's thumb again, I'll be cut off from you completely if that's what you want, but please..."_

_"Crowley...I never said I would take him, hurt him, or destroy him. I simply stated that I know what the two of you did. Although, you begging me like you are now only fortifies what I wanted to speak with you about."_

_"I don't understand." Crowley whimpered out as he stayed where he was._

_"Sit up and look at me, Crowley." God sighed out with a sympathetic tone._

_Crowley did as he was told, sitting on the heels of his feet while his knees stayed on the ground. "What?"_

_"I know the two of you switched bodies to save the other. Crowley, I also know that when Aziraphale suggested the body switch, you were all too eager to take his place. Was it so you could save him, or did you want to see Heaven again?"_

_Crowley shook his head slowly. "It wasn't that I wanted to see Heaven again, and besides, that hasn't been my home in a long time. I-I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to be an angel again, but..."_

_"But it wouldn't be so that you could, in fact, be an angel again, would it?" Crowley shook his head no as tears started to fall from his eyes. "Oh...my sweet boy...you truly don't know your worth, do you?"_

_"What worth? I'm a demon." He sniffled, trying to bid the tears away, but even Aziraphale knew that one could not hide in their dreams. Especially if God was involved._

_"The worth you have in another's eyes. In my eyes too."_

_"If I was so worthy in your eyes, why did I fall?"_

_"Because, you needed to."_

_"I did nothing wrong. I was always good. I tried to stop him. I swear it. Then, he barged in when I was asking you question, and then...you fell me. Without explanation. My questions were never bad questions, and you've allowed me to ask them before. His questions were bad, evil, cruel, and they went against you, but mine didn't. I know mine didn't. So why!? Why would you make me something that no one could possibly love, something that isn't SUPPOSED to love, but still can!? What have I done that was so wrong?"_

_"You've done nothing wrong. You're exactly what and where I need you to be."_

_"If I've done nothing wrong then WHY!? You say I'm what you need me to be...a demon...and where you need me to be!? What the Heaven is that supposed to mean!? WHY!?"_

_"You've already answered your own questions. All of them. You asked me once, if I would give the humans someone to teach them, to guide them, to help them in their testings and in their lives. You asked me once, if they would suffer for what my tests would bring. You asked me once if they would know love. You asked me if they would love me as much as you did. You asked me so many good questions, but you've already seen the answers. Just as there is night and day, there had to be good and evil. There was only one other angel that loved the humans as much as you, and I knew then that I would need to make an excellent but difficult choice. I had to choose one of you to be the other's opposite. I chose you. I chose you to go to Hell and to still love and have faith, because your faith, love, devotion, and grace was the strongest out of both of you. You are a demon that has never lost faith in me, but Aziraphale has lost incredible amounts of faith in me...and he's still an angel. He would not have been the same had I made him the demon I needed. However, he is ALSO exactly what I needed. YOU, Crowley, are a demon that can love and feel positive emotions. You're a demon that can bless things and people. Aziraphale is an angel that can sin...the deadly sins even, as I'm sure you're aware of his gluttony. I needed both of you on Earth. Aziraphale for the light, good, and righteousness...and you for the dark, evil, and Hellishness."_

_"So...you used us!? To stop an Armageddon you had already planned!?"_

_"Oh, no...that was quite the surprise. I hadn't expected that actually, but I'm glad for it. However, I did not give authorization for Aziraphale's trial, nor did Lucifer give Authorization for yours." She waved her hand and another entity appeared that Aziraphale hadn't seen before. As a Principality and Guardian of Eden he never met many of the Archangels. Only Michael and Gabriel, and that was because his station was one higher than theirs._

_The entity that appeared had fiery red hair, pure sapphire eyes, and his robe was ruby red with the same golden designs that Crowley's had. "Long time no see, brother."_

_"S-Samael!?"_

_"Ah, but it's Lucifer now."_

_'WHAT!?' Aziraphale's mind screamed._

_Crowley looked at God with a furrowed brow before standing up to met Lucifer in height. "Why are you here?"_

_"You and Aziraphale were wronged." He sighed out. "I may be demonic, and the worst of the worst in Hell, but even I still have a sense of Justice. Not only that, but when Adam denied me, he fixed a few things in my grace and my heart that were severely damaged in my fall. Things I'm sure were supposed to remain damaged, but were fixed."_

_"I had offered him his place back in Heaven..." God started. "...since he felt such clear remorse, regret, and he even sought repentance, but he denied me and said a balance must be maintained. I agreed, so he remains in Hell, but if he should wish, he can go topside as it were as long as he stays away from Adam and his family._

_"I could visit you in person, but that's not what we're here for. You and Aziraphale were wronged. I've known who you were since you fell, and I was never angry at you for still having faith and being able to love. If anything, it was the only soothing balm I had, because when we were both in Heaven, you were the only one that would ever listen to me and you would do so without judgment or rejection so...I was happy you still had what I didn't. Then, Beelzebub comes to me and well...it would be better to show you." Lucifer waved a hand and the scene was immediately changed to a dark room that was colored several different shades of red and gold, and seemed to look like a head office of some sort._

_Lucifer was looking at his hands and arms in complete shock and awe, then his legs, then he let his wings out to inspect them, and there they were. All six scarlet red wings, which he quickly put away when he heard a knock at the door. **"Come in!" **He growled._

_The door opened to reveal Beelzebub, who swiftly closed the door. She then stepped up to the desk with fury in her eyes, but also fear. **"My Lord Satan! Y-You look different!"**_

_**"Is there a reason you're here, Beelzebub?" **He groaned._

_ **"Right! There's a problem with the demon Crowley."** _

_**'A problem with Raphael?'** He stood from his seat and glowered at Beelzebub. **"What's happened?"**_

** _"As I'm sure you're aware, because...well...you were there, but he has betrayed Hell..."_ **

_**'No he hasn't. I decide who a traitor is.'** The glower remained._

** _"...and he had been apparently fraternizing with an angel for centuries AT LEAST..."_ **

_**'Good for him. Let him be happy. One of us should be.'** The glower turned into a hard glare. **'Wait, where is this going?'**_

** _"...and he murdered Ligur with Holy Water..."_ **

** _"Stop! He did what?"_ **

** _"Yes, my Lord!" _ ** _Beelzebub seemed a little more at ease at Lucifer's ire, not realizing it wasn't being directed at Crowley._

** _"Why did he do such a thing?"_ **

** _"Well, that's part of it, My Lord. He had been fraternizing with an angel, spending time with them, possibly trading secrets, and he had to get the Holy Water from somewhere, and he hand't even been watching over the right Antichrist..."_ **

** _'Yes, well, it was his fault for getting the wrong door, but then again...not entirely HIS fault, but it worked out.'_ **

** _"...so, we sent Ligur and Hastur after him so he would pay for his crimes."_ **

_**"I didn't authorize that."** Lucifer stated, and the fear was immediately back in Beelzebub's eyes. **"I don't remember anyone telling me of a traitor, let alone that it was one of our best. So, who gave you the authority to send Hastur and Ligur after him? Where were his statements and crimes that SHOULD'VE been given directly to me, just as they always have been for traitors? Or is it...that you wanted to punish him so bad for being different from the rest of you, that you decided to take matters into your own hands, but now that it didn't turn out the way you wanted, you come graveling to me to make it better? I doubt you'll answer, but trust me, you'll regret it if you don't finish the rest of your so called JUST complaint. So...finish away Beelzebub."**_

** _"W-Well...a-after that...he um...with the angel...averted Armageddon, and then...well...we found out from the Archangel Michael..."_ **

** _"Oh? You've been fraternizing with an ARCHANGEL, and the SOLDIER ARCHANGEL at that, that I was meant to fight one on one once Armageddon was in full swing...and you dare punish another for the same crimes?"_ **

_**"I-It's not the same!"** She seemed to plead. **"A-Anyway...we um...we found out from Archangel Michael that the Principality Aziraphale and the demon Crowley had been meeting up in the same place for hundreds of years...so...Heaven took the Principality for his execution while we took Crowley. We thought...punishment to fit the crime, so...we had Archangel Michael bring in a pitcher of Holy Water...and well...he went into the Holy Water, but...it did nothing."**_

_Lucifer's eyes widened in astonishment. **"Come again?"**_

** _"It's true. He was even playing in the Holy Bath Water. We tested it on one of the much lesser demons..."_ **

_**"Which I also didn't authorize..."** He rolled his eyes as the fear in Beelzebub's eyes increased at his words. **"Continue."**_

** _"Right...and well...the demon burned immediately, leaving no trace of clothes or anything, but when Crowley went into the water...nothing happened. He even splashed it at the window where the other demons were viewing the trial."_ **

_**"I also highly doubt he was given a fair trial. My, my, my...I have given you far too much power."** As Beelzebub took a few staggering steps back, Lucifer thought with amusement despite the glare on his face. **'Crowley and Aziraphale must've switched bodies. Switched Corporeal forms, which means...Crowley is currently and likely standing in Hellfire if he hadn't already.'** He let out frustrated sigh as he shook his head. **"I didn't authorize ANY of what you've done to the demon Crowley, and for acting on your own, and for only telling me NOW, and for fraternizing with the Archangel Michael while you would punish a demon for the same thing, you will gather everyone that was involved in the trial, viewing or otherwise, and I will decide a unique punishment for each of you. The demon Crowley is free from Hell. He shall not be contacted, bothered, observed, or even thought of after this day, do I make myself clear?"**_

_**"C-C-C-Crystal c-c-clear, My Lord Satan!"** With that, Beelzebub left, slamming the door._

_Lucifer let out a fond chuckle as he looked up to the ceiling. **"Oh, brother! So you've found a reason for living? I...I'm happy."** Then, as if it dawned on him, he held a hand to his chest, and let out a few breathy laughs of surprise. **"I...I can feel! I feel love! I can feel the love I had for my brother! Not just him either..."** With a furrowed brow, he looked at both his hands and placed his palms together, closed his eyes, and looked up once more. **"Mother, we need to talk."**_

_God quickly appeared in a flash of light with an impressed and bewildered expression. **"All right. That's different. I've always been able to hear you, but this time...you called me Mother. I'm pretty sure I took that away, unless..."**_

_**"The Antichrist!"** They both said at the same time._

_She then stepped forward and placed her hand over his chest, and they both gasped with wide smiles. **"D-Do I not burn you?"** She asked._

_**"Not at all!"** He said as he joyfully took her hand in his, but all too soon tears spilled from his eyes, and he fell to his knees. **"M-Mother. I'm unforgivable, I'm evil, tainted, cruel, wicked, and I have been for the past six thousand years. There is no word I can give, no expression I can make, no song I could sing, no action I can preform that would amount to how sorry I am for how I treated you before and after I fell. I was just...I was lost, confused, concerned, and jealous! It's no excuse, I know that, but...even if you never forgive me, which you shouldn't...and I don't expect you to, but even if you never forgive me, I want you to know...I repent, and I'm sorry!"**_

** _"Samael, stand."_ **

_Lucifer made the sound of a sobbed gasp before he stood up. **"Y-Yes?"**_

** _"I can feel it. I can feel the love you have for me and your brother Raphael, who you know as the demon Crowley..."_ **

** _"Yes, I've known who he was from the moment I saw him in Hell."_ **

_**"Interesting..."** She hummed. **"...but I can also feel your incredible honesty. You can return to Heaven if you wish. I forgive you."**_

** _"Th-Thank you! That is more than I can ask for and far more than I deserve, but I can't go back. It wouldn't be right, and...there needs to be balance. I'm needed here. I have to stay here to keep the demons, the darkness, evil, and temptations in line...but that's what I needed to talk to you about. Are you aware that your Principality Aziraphale is currently facing execution?"_ **

** _"What? That's impossible. All executions or acts of treason make it to my desk or to my hands immediately."_ **

** _"So...you being Omnipotent...didn't know?"_ **

_**"Samael, there's a reason I have a messenger."** Her eyes then went wide with realization. **"Gabriel..."**_

_Lucifer nodded his head. **"I think so. Even before my fall, I could tell how much he didn't like Aziraphale. How jealous he was of him, because he was a Principality and not him. There's another thing you should know...they're likely going to say one of his crimes was fraternization, but Archangel Michael brought Holy Water to Hell for Crowley's execution, which failed. Aziraphale's will fail too."**_

** _"CROWLEY'S execution!? What on Earth!?"_ **

** _"Well, I think that's exactly what...they helped Adam stop me and Armageddon."_ **

** _"Yes, I was there for that, and that's not how I thought it would go, but...they didn't do anything wrong, and...neither of us were consulted on any of this, or authorized any of it! Wait...did you say Crowley's execution failed? How?"_ **

** _"They switched corporeal forms. They must've. There's no way that Crowley would come out of that unscathed. Now, because he still has faith in you, that much I know, even if the other demons didn't...the Holy Water should've at least left him horribly burned, but still alive...but nothing happened. They switched Corporeal forms. Aziraphale in Crowley's body was here for the Holy Water while Crowley in Aziraphale's body is up there for Hellfire."_ **

** _"We have to fix this!"_ **

** _"Yes, and after...you'll have to keep a close eye on Aziraphale and Crowley."_ **

_**"You too."** She grinned. **"Adam has seen fit to return your original appearance to you. It would be a shame if you didn't go topside to show it off."**_

_Lucifer grinned, but his eyes shone with pure joy. **"Thought Pride was a sin, Mother."**_

** _"It is, but you're about as free as Crowley is now. Still a demon, but can love, and can be on Earth. Just...stay away from Adam and his family."_ **

** _"I...I will! Thank you!"_ **

** _"You're welcome. Now, let's get to work. You know...both of our sides will likely NOT listen to us and try to go after them again."_ **

** _"I know."_ **

_The vision faded and they were back in the earlier vision of the Garden. "Wow..." Crowley staggered back until his back hit a tree, and he promptly slid down it. "...you both...we...Aziraphale and I...we stopped Armageddon."_

_"Yes, you did." Lucifer smiled as he crouched down in front of Crowley. "And in doing so, Adam gave me back something that was broken in my fall. That was broken in every demon's fall, but it was fixed when he denied me and my monstrous form dissolved."_

_"A-And...we...both of you think...we did nothing wrong?"_

_"Not at all." They chorused, shocking Aziraphale as well who for some reason was still going quite unnoticed. He decided that it must've been God's doing._

_"We're free..." He scoffed out a laugh._

_"Yes, you are." Lucifer grinned. "But...both of our sides are still in an uproar, and in that uproar, your names are still being mentioned. SO...Mother decided that I should be your neighbor. In the next cottage over. I told her I wouldn't do it unless you were okay with it, because...well...there are endless reasons."_

_"I...um...what about Aziraphale? I mean...he..."_

_"Yes, well, he's another discussion for another time." God stated. "But for now..." She waved her hand and Aziraphale could feel something being removed, and it was only when Crowley gasped in shock that he realized it was an invisibility shield. "...he's seen and heard everything since your dream started."  
_

_"Your answers?" Lucifer questioned carefully._

_"Crowley...I think it might be a good idea." Aziraphale stated._

_"And why is that?" Crowley wondered as he stepped forward, slowly miracling himself to the form Aziraphale knew, just without the glasses. Unknown to both of them, God and Lucifer were trading knowing glances and smirks._

_"Think about it. God will be up there watching from above while Lucifer will be down here on Earth with us. Neither Heaven NOR Hell will know! If they're still talking about us in their uproars, that means God and Lucifer hadn't told them we did nothing wrong. Hell will try to pull one over on Lucifer personally by going after me to get to you, since Holy Water didn't work, and Heaven will likely try to do the same thing with you to get to me."_

_"You really think this is a good idea. Lucifer...Satan himself...living next door to us?"_

_"Tell me, Crowley...does he seem like SATAN to you? Or does he seem like your brother?"_

_Crowley looked back at him with a careful expression before shaking his head, letting out a defeated laugh. "You win, Angel. As always." He turned to face God and Lucifer head on and nodded his head. "I'm not going to pretend this won't be incredibly strange, but I agree. It'll be the best element of surprise ever, and it'll definitely get Hell off my back, because Beelzebub had already seen you."_

_"Ah, about that..." God smirked. "...you see, for our plan, we thought it would be bad if Beelzebub recognized him, so we wiped his appearance from her memory. She remembers the conversation, but only with his beastly form that no longer exists."_

_"Of course you did." Crowley bellowed out a laugh. "All right...how soon will you be moved in?"_

_"After you wake up." Lucifer smirked before snapping his fingers._


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I have just been informed that this fanfic is showing up as a T rating when it, in fact, is not. It is an E rating. I am sorry for any confusion or inconvenience! 
> 
> On my phone it shows up as it is supposed to. As an E...but I have been shown it is not the case for some. Thank you for reading this and I apologize again.

When Aziraphale woke up, he immediately bolted out of bed, and made his way towards Crowley's room, but just like what's expected to happen when two people have the same idea, they crashed into one another, knocking them on their backsides. "Ow...and I thought you were hardheaded before." Crowley groaned out a chuckle.

"Oh, hush you. Was all of that real?"

"Only one way to find out." He sighed before getting up. Let's go see our new neighbor. They both left the cottage, knowing that off to the far left there was already someone living there, so all that was left was the cottage to the far right. Once there, they saw there was a light on. "So uh...what now?"

"Well, call me old fashioned, but usually one knocks on a door they want to see the other side of."

"Bastard." Crowley rolled his eyes as he slowly walked up to the door with Aziraphale behind him. He knocked on the door and waited about two minutes before it was opened.

"Ah, brother, good to see you." Lucifer grinned.

"L-Lucifer..." Crowley gasped as he took in the appearance. One would guess that Lucifer's attire would be similar to Crowley's or perhaps even Aziraphale's, but it wasn't. He was wearing very casual clothing. He was wearing blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and was barefoot. Not only that, but he was wearing seeing glasses. "...y-you're wearing glasses?"

"Yes, apparently after being in the dark for so long...my eyesight has suffered. Mother said it was likely a side-effect to gaining my grace and emotions back so quickly and not from her doing, but I would rather assume it's the darkness. Also, you shouldn't call me Lucifer while I'm up here. Not only might it alert above and below...but you may get strange looks from the humans. So...I guess...just call me Sam. A nice human name."

"So..." Aziraphale started as he stayed behind Crowley. "...you're...you're really...Satan?"

"Yes and no. Satan is the beast, Lucifer is the fallen angel, and Samael is who I was. So...yes? But I'm not a beast anymore."

"Look..." Crowley started a bit bitterly. "...it's good to see you, but if you hurt Aziraphale..."

"I have no interest in hurting the being that makes you happy." He looked up and smiled as the morning became brighter. Now, rather than it's dark and quiet hues, there were tinges of lighter blue tints on the grass that slowly became brighter. "Well, dawn approaches. Visit me and speak with me when you want. I will not come to your cottage unless I'm invited or unless it's an emergency and I sense something. Other than that, we'll be living our own lives."

"Oh..." Aziraphale smiled. "...that's good then. Crowley, could I ask you to please make some breakfast?"

"Of course, Angel." Crowley instantly turned to face him. "Sam, you can come if you want, but if you complain about my cooking, I'm giving your plate to Aziraphale. He'll at least be grateful."

"Duly noted." Lucifer replied. "I wasn't aware you could cook." He snapped his fingers and the lights in the house turned off.

They all made it back to the cottage, and Crowley gave Lucifer a tour of every room except Aziraphale's, but Lucifer didn't say anything about it while Aziraphale was slightly grateful for it. "So, what would you like for breakfast, you two?" Crowley asked as he stepped into the kitchen, putting his black apron on.

"Well, I never thought I would see you like this." Lucifer snorted out a laugh.

"Alright, that's it, Aziraphale gets your share."

"NO!" He shouted with a slight chuckle. "I just...one of the best demons in all of Hell and one of the most creative angels from Heaven...and here you are...wearing an apron."

"Wasn't that creative." Crowley grumbled as he moved about the kitchen. "Pancakes it is."

"You never lie." Lucifer furrowed his brow in confusion and Aziraphale noticed, which made his own furrow in a similar way. "Why are you lying?"

"I don't understand...isn't he just being modest?"

"No, Aziraphale. There's a difference between modesty and outright lying."

"Samael, enough." Crowley breathed out. "That was over six thousand years ago."

"And it's still true. You know it. You're still just as clever and creative."

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Crowley breathed out as he started putting ingredients in a bowl.

"I will..." Lucifer stated somberly. "...If that's truly what you want, but Crowley, he heard what your name was. He found out which Archangel you were."

"Well, at least he won't think any differently of me if you explain it to him. Six thousand years compared to an angel he had never met..." He turned his head to face them with an honest and somewhat sad smile. "...I'd say the Crowley side of me has quite the advantage." He turned back to the bowl, putting in the last ingredients before continuing. "However, if you're going to explain it, do so on the couch."

"Come on, Aziraphale." Lucifer grinned as he walked away from the kitchen with Aziraphale following behind.

Once they were on the couch, Aziraphale couldn't help but wonder why Crowley seemed so apprehensive about him knowing, and it just added to a long list of questions about the being he thought he had known quite well for six thousand years. "All right, correct me if I'm wrong, but Crowley didn't seem like he actually wanted me to know."

"Well...there's plenty of reasons for that." Lucifer nodded his head with a sympathetic smile, causing a strange shiver to go up Aziraphale's spine, because he never thought he would put Lucifer and the word Sympathetic in the same sentence or even the same thought. "How much has he told you about his fall?"

"That...he didn't fall. He sauntered vaguely downwards."

"Well...that's a partial truth, yeah. You see...the rest of us...we were cast out with a single command from God. Crowley? He was told to go. He wasn't given an explanation as to why his fall would be different, why he was falling, or what to expect. He was...just told to go, and though he was terrified, he went, because it was what Mother wanted. Now, how much do you know about Raphael?" Aziraphale told him what he knew, what little it was, and some of the rumors he had heard. When he finished, Lucifer pinched the bridge of his nose, slightly lifting up his glasses. "Right, so...you don't know much, and I suppose...Crowley didn't tell you anything from his time as an Archangel?"

"I didn't find out about him being an Archangel until the dream we all just shared."

"Right...of course. Well...Crowley wasn't always an Archangel, first off. He started out as the oldest of all of us. He was a Seraph at first. He was kind, caring, intelligent, an excellent healer, and when he would spar with another angel, he would be patient with them as he trained them to fight, to wield elements, to control their miracles...he was an excellent teacher. However, there came a day when Mother needed him for something...More. So, she took away his Seraph TITLE, but allowed him to keep the powers. She made him an Archangel. This was around the same time I, Gabriel, Michael, and Uriel were created, but I'm older than Michael, Michael is older than Gabriel, and Gabriel is older than Uriel. We welcomed him and he welcomed us. Then, Mother told him what she needed of him. He was to help create."

"Create what?" Aziraphale questioned, his heart aching and pounding with fascination.

"You know...perhaps he's told you a little bit about it, and you haven't realized it. Has he ever shown an interest in the sky or the stars?" Aziraphale's eyes widened as he nodded his head. "Well, there's reasons for that. He helped create the universe."

"Th-The universe!?" Aziraphale whisper shouted. "Like...galaxies and nebula and stars, and planets..."

"Yes, yes, yes, and yes. He helped God...create the universe. Some he did by himself, some he did WITH God, and some GOD did with HIM. The oldest and most creative angel in Heaven. He made many of the stars you see in the sky from Earth. In fact, I think he helped with MOST of the milky way galaxy. If you point at a star, a nebula, or a galaxy, he could likely tell you what he had named it. It would be far different from what the humans named it for two reasons. One, the humans like to name things. Two, he named them like how Mother named all of her angels. No two names were the same. I can't imagine how he might feel to look up at them now, knowing how much the humans love his stars and how much they want to explore them and get to know them. I imagine rather prideful."

Aziraphale let out a soft chuckle as he shook his head. "No, that doesn't quite sound like Crowley. He's many things, but prideful...that's not one of them. Not overbearingly so anyway. Not the way you're likely thinking. Of course there's the normal pride in one's work, but I don't think he's prideful as the humans want to learn more about them...I think it makes him happy. I think it might warm his heart to know that something he made as an Archangel before falling...means so much to the humans, and has since Adam and Eve. Something he probably poured himself into." He chanced a look at Lucifer, not realizing he had started looking to the floor, and he quickly noticed there was a look of astonishment. "Have I said something wrong?"

"Not at all." He smiled as he propped his elbow on his knee, resting the side of his left jaw on his fist. "You seem to know him rather well, is all. I knew him in Heaven, and there's plenty I could tell you if you want and you can tell me about him as you know him. Perhaps...perhaps he hasn't changed one bit at all."

"I'd like that, but I don't think Crowley would."

"For the record..." Crowley's voice came from the kitchen while he was finishing up pancakes. "...there isn't a sound barrier from the kitchen to the couch. I can hear everything you're saying."

"Sorry about that. So, is breakfast ready yet?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. You each get three to start off. If you're still hungry, I'll make more." Aziraphale and Lucifer got up and sat where their plates and drinks were set. "Angel, your tea, and Lucifer, I made you coffee, because you don't strike me as a tea drinker, and it's black." They watched as Crowley made his own plate and got his own coffee before sitting down. "All right, I'll let you share your stories, but I have to be present for them. You're both story tellers. Not a word of my life will be over grand."

"Well..." Lucifer smirked as he looked at Aziraphale before taking a drink of his coffee. "...you're right. Not prideful. Just an ass."

"You're one to talk." Crowley smiled as he took a bite of his pancakes. "Butter and syrup is on the table in case ya don't have eyes this morning."

"This is a _good_ day." Aziraphale grinned, but quickly earned a light hit on his shoulder, only serving to make him let out a soft chuckle. "Right...well...you go first." He said as he motioned for Lucifer to speak before he dug into his pancakes. "OH! These are quite good, Crowley."

"Thank you, Angel." Crowley smiled softly as he started to continue eating his pancakes.

"Well, for one, I never thought I'd hear him say thank you as a demon..."

"My angelic life, Sam. He want's to know about my angelic life."

"Well...why haven't you told him about it?"

"For six thousand years I just thought she threw me away, and that hurt almost more than the fall itself, so...pain. Now go on. I'm eager to hear what you have to say."

"Well...there's something for you, Aziraphale. If he ever says that he's 'Eager' to hear what you have to say, he's subtly telling you to tread carefully. Now, where to start...hmm...well...I didn't really know him until he was a full adult angel. Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel were talking among themselves as usual, and also as usual, didn't really want to bother with me."

"Why not?" Aziraphale questioned with a furrowed brow.

"Well, for starters...I had not so popular opinions about usually everything, but sometimes...God would side with me and they would be upset at that. Anyway, there's a lot of reasons why they didn't really spend much time with me, but that day was the worst, because I had found that I could make fire in the palm of my hand and not be burned by it. They said it was dangerous, atrocious, ugly, horrible, and that if I knew what was good for me, I would put it away before God noticed."

"I happened to be listening and witnessing the entire conversation." Crowley added.

"Yes, and they knew he was a Seraph. When they saw him, they immediately stopped talking...hey, could we just show him the memory? It's much easier that way."

Crowley let out a sigh and nodded his head. "After breakfast."

It didn't take long for them to finish, and once they did, they went into Crowley's room to share the memory. Aziraphale wondered how it was going to work when they were awake, but thankfully he didn't have to wonder for long as Lucifer and Crowley both snapped their fingers and the entire room transformed into an older version of Heaven.

_Raphael was about to leave a hallway to go meet with the other Archangels, his appearance just like from the dream, but he just stood there as he watched, unnoticed by the others, Samael dropping the flame that was in his hand, allowing it to disappear in the air. "Really, Samael..." Michael started with a disgusted expression. "...fire? Fire burns! How could you think of something so horrible!?"_

_"Do you WANT to burn all of Heaven!?" Gabriel scoffed._

_"N-No! I-" Samael tried to explain._

_"We knew that you often disagreed with things, but to create THAT in your hand..." Uriel shook her head. "...to want to bend it to your will! That's not only blasphemous, but God has told us of the elements. Fire burns, Samael. You should've never tried to learn that element. It can only bring destruction!"_

_"Such an ugly use of your powers." Gabriel sneered. "If you know what's good for you, you won't let God catch you with that."_

_Raphael seemingly had enough as he shook his head and gracefully walked towards them. "S-Seraph R-Raphael!" Michael stuttered out with widened eyes._

_He didn't look at her. He kept his eyes focused on Samael. "Archangel Samael, is it?"_

_"Yes, and they said...you're a Seraph?" Samael swallowed a lump in his throat._

_"Strange to think you're the eldest of them." He smiled. "Calm down. It's all right. Although, since you ARE the eldest, they really should be listening and wanting to learn from you, but..." He turned a disapproving glare towards the other three Archangels. "...I could see that wasn't the case." He returned his gaze back to Samael. "Why listen to them?"_

_"They are my siblings and I love them and value their opinions."_

_"Yes, well, an opinion is one thing, cruel words and jealousy are another. Show me what you've learned, and the three of you..." He commanded without looking at them. "...I do not want to hear a word out of any of you, and I wish for you to observe. If you do not, I will personally go ask God to make you watch. She of course doesn't have to, but she will wonder why I have requested such a thing, and I don't believe you would like to explain that you were being needlessly cruel to your eldest brother." His shoulders relaxed slightly as the other three Archangels grew more tense, not budging from their spots. "Good...now...go ahead and show me. I promise you, I will not react the same way they did."_

As Aziraphale watched the memory, he couldn't believe how kind Crowley was being, or rather, how kind Raphael was being, but to think, they were the same person. Crowley was once this kind, patient, demanding, and fierce being without so much as having to lift a finger.

_Samael nodded and he opened his palm, conjuring the fire he had in his hand from earlier. "This is what I've created. I...well...I knew of fire, because God has taught us the basic elements, and I wondered if I could conjure it, and I focused my powers. I made sure it would be safe, that I could control it, and that it wouldn't burn anyone or anything it wasn't meant to."_

_"Truly?" Raphael's eyes widened._

_"Yes." Samael looked ashamed._

_"Do not look so ashamed, Archangel Samael. Look up at me." When Samael looked up at him, his own eyes widened at Raphael's kind smile. "You've nothing to be ashamed of. They are not God. They have no right to judge you as they have. Now, you said it burns whatever you wish for it to burn?"_

_"Yes." He nodded, seemingly more at ease._

_Raphael put his hand in the flame, palm hovering just over Samael's. Any closer and they'd be holding hands. "Feels warm, but a good warm. A comforting warmth. Now...as my hand is in the fire, I want you to will it to burn me. Do not worry, I will be fine. I'm just testing what you've said." Samael gave a nervous nod, and there was a slight flare in the fire, which somehow forced Raphael to pull his hand away with a hiss of pain. "All right..." He shook his hand before looking at it, inspecting the harsh burn marks._

_"Seraph Raphael! I'm so sorry!"_

_"Why are you sorry?" He questioned with an amused tone and expression. "You only did as I asked. It was excellent. Tell me, do you know how to heal?" He shook his no. "Well, then. I will teach you. Put away your flame." He did as he was asked, and Raphael took that same hand, turned the palm to face the wound and smiled patiently at him. "You can see the wound, clearly, that's no issue, but focus your power on FELLING the wound. Not like how you would feel it for yourself, but as if the wound is being mapped out in your nerves and in your mind. To know it as you would when you would feel something with the touch of your hand, but don't touch it. Focus, picture it, imagine, and let your powers find it. The whole wound." He nodded his head and did as he was told. The proof of that was shone in his eyes two minutes later when his eyes widened an incredible degree, and he let out a breathy laugh. "Good, now, know what you want to do for the wound, and allow your powers to take on the will of your heart and grace. The powers will do the rest." He did as he was told once more, the other three Archangels watching with keen interest and baited breath. Soon, the burns started disappearing as if they were never there. "Brilliant." Raphael grinned as he looked at the palm and back of his hand. "Completely healed. Now, would you mind telling me why you wanted to conjure fire?"_

_"W-Well...I...I remember her describing it. She said it would give off light and it could burn. I wanted to wield it. Not like a weapon, but...as a sort of comfort, but if need be, if she wanted, she could use it as a weapon. So...I made it to where it can be warm in the palm of my hand, but I also tested it out elsewhere...and it was successful. I took some wood from fallen branches. As long as one doesn't get too close...a fire can be made for light and warmth, but once the fire is on the wood, it's the wood's to control or perhaps even the Earth and wind as it flickers with the wind, but as long as you don't get too close, you won't burn. You'll feel warm."_

_"How kind." Raphael stated, and Aziraphale, witnessing the memory, noticed that it was a far cry from how he said it back in Mesopotamia. "Wield your flame again." Samael did as he was asked, causing a delighted smile to appear on his face. As he inched his hand closer to the flame, he heard one of the Archangels step forward._

_"Seraph Raphael, should you really be getting close to the flame?" Gabriel asked tentatively. "He burned you...badly."_

_"I trust him not to repeat the burning and if he does, he will be held responsible for his actions, and will heal it. Now, enough of your prejudice. I'M the one that placed my hand in the fire, if you'll remember, and it didn't burn me until I PERSONALLY requested him to." This was all said as he still looked at the flame in Samael's hand. He then scooped at it, bringing a flame of his own into his hand. "Now..." He turned to the other Archangels, who staggered back exactly two steps each. "...I'm a Seraphim holding a flame created by an Archangel. Does that make me what you called him? Does that make me Horrible? Does that mean I want to burn all of Heaven? Does that make me destructive? Is this an ugly display of my powers? Go ahead, since you think you can pretend to be God for a day and judge another so cruelly, so confidently, and so seeming that there will not be a consequence...tell me to put it away if I know what's good for me." He waited a full twenty minutes with the flame in his hand, and Samael staring at him in complete astonishment with his own flame still burning. "No? Well, unfortunately for you, there will be a consequence. Archangel Michael, Archangel Gabriel, Archangel Uriel, and Archangel Samael, come with me, and keep in mind, if you don't, I will find you and drag you. Not you, Samael, just them." Raphael walked away, still holding the flame. "Hold your flame without shame, Samael. It is yours and no one else's, just as mine...is mine at the moment." He led them to God's throne room, where Raphael knocked four times on the door, and it opened._

_"Raphael!" God beamed, but then she saw who was next to him and beside him. "What's wrong, and why are you wielding fire...both you and Samael."_

_"It is Samael's creation. He had tried to show it to his siblings, Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel, but they belittled him, and even asked him if he wanted to burn all of Heaven. Told him if he knew what was good for him, he would put it away before you caught him with it. They called him destructive, and the flame and ugly use of his power. I couldn't stand by and watch the cruelty. So...I literally took matters into my own hands. It will not burn unless the wielder wills it, Samael and I tested it on my own hand. It burned, and in return for the discovery of it, I taught him how to heal. I've brought them to you to receive your own judgement as I am not fit to judge, but only fit to be overwhelming furious. I personally think the flame is a brilliant and good thing."_

_"Thank you, Raphael, I will take it into consideration. Take Samael and train him further in healing. Perhaps spar with him and test his strengths. Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Uriel stay. I have a judgement to pass."_

The memory ended, and they were back in Crowley's room. "W-Well..." Aziraphale breathed out. "...you hadn't changed that much then." He finally concluded, because as he took in everything he had seen, the fierce, patient, kind, and dangerous calm that Raphael held about him...he realized that it was basically what he had seen Crowley do numerous times. He found it intimidating sometimes when Crowley would get worked up, but could still remain somewhat calm.

"You think so?" Crowley wondered as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't look much the same, and I don't think I have the same amount of patience of kindness."

Aziraphale snorted out a laugh. "My book cottage would be inclined to disagree." He turned to face Lucifer and shook his head. "I apologize, but there's not much I could tell you. He hasn't changed much. I could tell you that he's always been there for me. Anytime I was nearly discorporated, anytime I would foolishly get myself into trouble, he would be right there to get me out of it. I can tell you that in the Garden...um...well...I was rather worried when I gave away my flaming sword, but he eased my anxiety. I can tell you that during the great flood he selflessly rescued children from the flood waters, I could tell you that he stood with me as we watched Jesus being crucified, I can tell you that he indulged me in my own sins...gluttony mostly...and he would treat me to meals, anything I wanted, and he would eat sometimes, but not often. He tried oysters, and he both liked them and hated them. I could tell you of our six thousand years of history, but I don't think much has changed. Now...that's based off of one memory, but still. He's always been patient with me, he's been kind to others, but he always hated it when I've told him so, because of what Hell would do if they found out he had been kind, nice, or if he helped me...he can be dangerously calm, and when he puts his mind to something, there's no swaying him. I've tried. Sometimes I win, sometimes I don't."

Lucifer's brow rose up as his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped slightly as he turned his gaze to Crowley. "What?" Crowley had asked.

"I'm wondering the same thing." Aziraphale admitted.

"N-Nothing, just...incredible. That um...that you've stayed you." He cleared his throat, seemingly trying to immediately get off the topic. Say, the beach...would you want to go swimming?"

"Actually, yeah. Sounds great." Crowley grinned. "Coming, Aziraphale?"

"Oh, I have to unload the rest of my books off of the moving truck, and then I'll be down at the beach."

"All right. See you then." Crowley grinned. "Sam, go get changed, I'll bring some towels, and sunscreen."

"Hello? Satan, lord of Hell?" Lucifer questioned sarcastically as if to say, 'You really think I'll burn easily?'

"Sam...I helped God make the sun, and it's the middle of summer."

"Right, fair enough. I'll meet you down there. Just don't make me look like a bloody snowman with all that sunscreen."

"No promises." He chuckled.

"I'll leave the two of you to it then." Aziraphale gave an honest smile. It made him happy to see the two of them like this. However, he had to admit, he felt a pang of jealous, but it was only because there was still so much he didn't know about Crowley. Then, aside from the slight jealousy, the look that Lucifer had given Crowley just seconds ago. It was as if he realized something he knew he wasn't supposed to realize yet, but did anyway.

It didn't take long for Aziraphale to sort his books. Well, not long to him at least. Once he was finished, it was right at noon, and he just heard a knock on the door as he put away the final book. He closed the wall and went to open the door. When he did, he felt his heart skip a beat...or several when he saw Crowley, dripping wet, hair clinging to his neck and shoulders, he was shirtless, in swim trunks, and wasn't wearing any shoes. It was the most skin he had EVER seen Crowley reveal. Lucifer was the same way, but his heart didn't move for him. It moved for Crowley. "Y-You're um..."

"Yeah, I know, I'm soaked." He huffed out a laugh. "But um...we were wondering if you were done yet."

"We?" He asked as he looked at Lucifer, who sent him a kind, but mischievous smile.

"Yes. We."

"Well...I just got done, so I suppose."

"Good!" Crowley grinned. "You'll probably just go in what you put me in for the trials, but..."

"Actually, when I go swimming, I don't wear that. I know I seem like the person that might, but...well...I was respecting your privacy." Once he said that, he noticed a tint of pink gracing Crowley's cheeks. _'How peculiar...'_ He thought, but was quickly drawn out of his thoughts when he saw Lucifer's mischievous smile grow and twist into a smirk as he placed a hand on Crowley's shoulder.

"Let's leave him be. He'll meet us down at the beach."

"Right...um...yeah." The blush deepened, confusing Aziraphale even further.

"Excuse me...had I said something wrong? Crowley...you're blushing."

"Ngk!" He squeaked before shaking his head. "Ah, no. Nothing wrong. Just uh...no. You didn't say anything wrong, so um...what DO you wear when you swim."

"Well, around the same thing you're wearing."

"No shirt?"

"No shirt. Why?"

"No reason! Come on, Sam! Let's go! Race you." Crowley ran away, Lucifer laughed, and Crowley glared at Lucifer snapping, "Shut up!"

"I didn't say anything!" Came the distant laughing reply.

"You didn't have to!"

"How very peculiar indeed." Aziraphale commented before he made his way into the big cottage so that he could get changed to go swimming. He wondered if he might be able to figure it out when he got down to the beach.


	5. Chapter 5

After getting dressed to go swimming, Aziraphale looked at himself in the mirror, examining his body. He was a bit soft in the middle, but his clothes also added to his padding, making him look more soft than he really was. Really, he was actually quite muscular, just with a soft belly. His legs were large, but sturdy and muscular, and his arms were much the same way. "Feels strange being in swim trunks again..." He pursed his lips at his reflection, looking at the white swim trunks with blue flowers on it. "...well, might as well go, then."

When he finally made it down to the beach, Crowley and Lucifer were seemingly sparring on the shore. "Oh, ya think so, huh?" Crowley cackled before making a 'come and try it' motion with his hand. "Why don't you try it and see how fast you meet the sand."

"Don't you think you're a bit out of practice, old man?" Lucifer challenged as he tried to punch Crowley, but he missed, he tried three more times and kept missing.

"Well, I'll give that to you..." Crowley smirked, "...it's only taken five swings for you to hit the sand."

"Five? I think you miscounted!" Lucifer laughed, but on his fifth swing to Crowley, he was suddenly thrown onto his back in the sand.

"And...that makes swing number five."

Aziraphale clapped his hands, applauding their match, or what he saw of it. When they turned to look at him, for some reason there was a sly and knowing expression on Lucifer's face as he got up to look at Crowley, while Crowley himself was turning a lovely shade of pink. "My Dear, I do believe you're getting sunburned. Your face is all red and it reaches to your shoulders and the middle of your chest."

"Oh does it ever." Lucifer snickered. "I'm going back to the water."

"SAM!" Crowley shouted after him, and somehow the redness deepened slightly, or perhaps, Aziraphale thought, it could be the light coming off of the sun AND Crowley's hair. He heard him sigh before turning around to face him again, and although Aziraphale is quite astute when it comes to love, it does take him a while to recognize shyness and when someone finds another attractive.

"Crowley?" It just happened to be one of those times. He looked down at his body before looking back up at Crowley, and an insane and impossible thought came to him. Well, in his opinion at least. "D-Do you...perhaps...find this body attractive?" Trusting his Best Friend that he wouldn't lie to him, he allowed Crowley's sudden stuttering to carry on for at least a minute. "Crowley, won't you answer?" He meekly asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious in front of the one he loves.

"I...y...yes. Yes, I do. I just...well...I thought...I mean, your clothes made you look..."

"Was that okay as well?" He asked, pushing away the barriers that were trying to tell him to stop for his own good.

"Yes. It was. Still is. I just...now know what you look like with just one layer, and that layer being swim trunks."

"Ah...I see you've gained your ability to speak back." He smirked. "I must say, you look rather attractive as well."

"Ngk!" Crowley flinched as he quickly shook his head. "No I don't. 'm all bones and angles."

_'Don't tell him you love that! Don't tell him that you want to know every angle! Don't tell him you're completely enamored with him!'_ Aziraphale's thoughts repeated themselves in other variations while he just shook his head, willing away at least one of the thoughts. "If your bones and angles bothered me as much as you seem to think they do, I don't think I would've spent time with you. I like them on you. Bones and angles suit you, just like my softness suits me."

"I-If you say so."

"I do say so." He gave a curt nod of his head and wide smile. "Come on, let's go into the water."

"A-Alright." He nodded as Aziraphale passed him.

When they were both in the water up to their waists, Aziraphale dove down to get his whole body wet, came up, laughed and moved his curls and waves of hair out of his eyes. "Well..." He laughed out. "I can't remember the last time I went swimming. Certainly not within the past twelve years."

"Glad you could join us." Lucifer smirked.

They spent a good portion of the day swimming and sparring. Crowley beat Lucifer every time in the six sparring matches Aziraphale witnessed, Aziraphale beat Lucifer in their five sparring matches, but when it was Crowley against Aziraphale, there was a total of five matches, and Aziraphale won every single one. "Well, that was fun!" Aziraphale breathed out with a beaming smile as he helped gather the stuff from the beach to take it inside.

"It certainly was." Lucifer agreed. "The last time I went swimming was shortly after I returned to being myself, and that was because God decided it would be good for me."

Crowley's eyes widened immensely at that. "And you didn't think to ask if it was Holy Water!?"

"I did, and she said it wasn't, so I dove right in. Now, it may not have been Holy Water, but it washed away the remaining evil that was blocking the rest of my memories of love, kindness, and basically positive emotions. I remember everything. I even remember the times that if I couldn't find you, Crowley, that you could usually be found in either Heaven's Garden or Eden, and you'd be taking care of the plant life. Now, if you weren't doing that, you were either doing God's bidding, or you were training the newest fledglings on how to fly, how to act properly, and you would teach them some of your powers, despite yours being rather unique."

"Wait, how were his powers unique?" Aziraphale questioned curiously.

"You mean how ARE they unique. He still retained his powers." Lucifer grinned as he crossed his arms to look at Crowley. "Well, go on." He urged as he picked up the last of their stuff, allowing them to make their way back to Aziraphale and Crowley's cottage.

"Well, Aziraphale..." Crowley started, trying for nonchalance, but quickly realized he was going to fail, so he let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head. "...You know how Anathema can sense or see a being's aura?"

"Yes, she was able to sense Lucifer at the airbase."

"She was!?" Lucifer gawked.

"You didn't know?" Crowley questioned with a risen brow.

"No! I was too focused on hate, destruction, and getting Adam to start the Apocalypse again."

"Right, well, she could sense you, and she could sense you were angry." Crowley nodded his head as he quickly finished that explanation. "Anyway, I'm kind of like that. It's how I knew about us not being able to sense Adam. I can sense others, and if I've known the aura for a while, I can determine who it belongs to like I did when Lucifer was coming to the surface. That's how I knew they told him about Adam stopping Armageddon."

"Interesting." Aziraphale whispered out in awe.

"Thanks." Crowley chuckled. "Say, what do the two of you think of some Italian for dinner?"

"Sounds great!" Lucifer beamed. "I love Italian food."

After they had put all of their stuff away, took their showers, and ate the food that Crowley cooked, Crowley had decided he was tired and went to bed, leaving Aziraphale and Lucifer to talk in the living room. "So, I have to ask, do you love him?" Lucifer questioned quietly.

"Wh-What do you m-mean!?" Aziraphale stuttered out.

"I can feel love again..." He started as he held a hand to his chest. "...but it's still a bit difficult to SENSE. However, I sometimes see how you look at him, and well, if that look isn't completely in love, I don't know what is. So, I thought I'd ask."

"Well...are you sure he's asleep?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "As soon as he hit his bed, he passed out. So...?"

"Yes. I am. Hopelessly and Helplessly in love." He clasped his hands together as he looked at the floor from where he sat on the couch next to Lucifer. "Have been for a very very long time, but only foolishly realized it in 1941."

"What happened?" He questioned calmly, but if Aziraphale were to look at him, he would see a completely shocked expression.

"Well, I was trying to trick some Nazis, but they tricked me instead, and just when I was about to be discorporated...Crowley comes storming into the church to stop them by redirecting a bomb to hit the church. I put up a miracle to protect us both, and while I busy focusing on that, he had the mind to protect my books, which may seem pointless to you, but he knew how important they were to me, and he certainly didn't need to do that, but he did. He stepped on consecrated ground for me AND rescued my books...it...it made me go through all the years I had known him since Eden, and I realized...something in me loved him more than anything else since he and I met in Eden after Adam and Eve were kicked out."

"So...why haven't you told him?"

"Really?" Aziraphale scoffed. "Look at me!" He whisper shouted so that he wouldn't wake Crowley up. He stood to his feet and gestured to his whole body. "I'm this, and I don't plan on changing anytime soon...and well..." He sat back down, slumping over with a defeated expression. "...he could have anyone. Why would it be me?"

"And who told you that you weren't enough?"

"Oh, I must've actually died at some point." Aziraphale rolled his eyes. "Lucifer is trying to give me relationship advice."

"No, you're not dead. I promise." He chuckled. "I should probably take that as an insult, but I won't. I'm genuinely curious."

"Why are you so curious?" He snapped with a slight huff of annoyance.

"Because I think you're good for him, but never mind that. I can tell you something he would never admit to, and that's the fact that he's Ineffably happier with_ you_ than he _ever_ was in _Heaven_."

"I thought he was well liked."

"Yes, but even if he was well known and well loved, that doesn't mean he was happy. Hundreds and thousands of angels loved him, but he told me he wasn't sure if he was happy. He was given new jobs from God after that and he was finally happy, but no where near as happy as you make him by just existing. I can see it all over his face."

"Forgive me if I don't believe you."

"Well, then perhaps you'll believe this." Aziraphale looked at him, then at his hands, and he found a green leather bound book in his hands with a golden snake on the cover that mimicked Crowley's tattoo perfectly.

"What is it?" He asked as he took the book from him.

"It's a list of the prayers he's prayed to God. I haven't looked, because it felt wrong to do so with being who I am, but God gave it to me to give to you for a time, and now I have. Read it with me here, or read it in private, but don't let Crowley catch you with it. I don't know what will happen, but I don't want to find out. Especially with Heaven and Hell on your backs."

"Yes, I'll read this tonight in my book cottage, thank you."

"You're welcome." With that, Lucifer left and went back to his own cottage, leaving Aziraphale with a book of Crowley's prayers.

"Right...time to get started on it then." He said to himself before heading to his book cottage, silently wondering what would be in the book and if there would be anything about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting next chapter, this fic will be an E, JUST in case.  
Sorry for the inconvenience.  
Thank you to those who have read or are still reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Once settled and comfortable in front of his now lit fireplace, Aziraphale took a sip of his tea before opening the book he was given. Now, since it was given to him by God, he didn't expect it to be like a normal book one would read, where they would create the voices in their own minds. He didn't know what to expect, but he knew it wouldn't be that, and once he opened the book, he was right, because at the first page, the words started forming. As they were writing themselves, Aziraphale could hear Crowley's voice as clearly as if he was saying what was written next to him. There was no thoughtful echo, no shimmering edge to the voice, it truly was like Crowley was in the room, and another thing he noticed was that the prayers weren't dated, so he would have to do some guess work as he started to read.

_ **Dear God,  
** _ _ **I don't know if I'll be obliterated, burned, or some other form of dying or discorporation for praying to you, but I'm finally out of Hell. I'm under the sky, I'm under the sun, and I can stretch my wings! Speaking of which, I met the Principality Aziraphale on the wall today as Adam and Eve were leaving the Garden. I-I'll be honest, God...I went up there...so he could smite me. For good. Well, obviously if he smote a demon it would be for...but anyway! I went up there to be smote and to never come back...no new corporation...just...gone. I'm too different, God. Why? Why would you do this to me? I never did anything wrong. Oh well...too late now I suppose, but...just...you probably know this, but on the wall, during your thunderstorm, Aziraphale hovered his wing over me. I felt...safe, but before that, I noticed...he didn't even look like he WANTED to smite me. Holy sword or no. That's another thing! If you find out, which you probably will, that he gave away his flaming sword...please don't be too hard on him. I haven't known another angel to care for the humans like I do. It...I don't really know...It made me feel...something. Something in my chest. Something warm, pulsing, joyful, and all encompassing. It was more than my love for the humans, but it was something close to it. So, please, go easy on him. He meant well. I hope to see him again.** _

"O-Oh...Oh my..." Aziraphale swallowed a lump in his throat. "That s-sounds like he...like he..." He furrowed his brow and shook his head, choosing not to believe anything like that just yet. After all, it was just the first page. "Hmm...I wonder..." He closed the book, placed his hand on it, breathed in and out as deeply as he could, before whispering in Enochian, "_I only want to see the prayers that involve Principality Aziraphale._" He opened it back up and the first page was the same, but when he turned to the next, he could tell it was the flood, because of the first sentence alone.

_ **Dear God,  
** _ _ **What the Heaven are you thinking by DROWNING CHILDREN!? They've done nothing yet! Just like I had done nothing! Aziraphale was here as well, watching children play while ANIMALS were loaded onto the Ark for safety. I understand it, I do, but why drown the children!? They're like wingless fledglings! They're innocent! Well, hopefully you won't mind what I'm about to do.** _

_ **Dear God,  
** _ _ **I saved as many children as I could. Aziraphale found out, but he wasn't angry. That made me feel so much relief, I almost sobbed in front of him. Thank you for not striking me down, I guess. Also, thank you for going easy on Aziraphale. He said you never mentioned it again. I believe you at least asked him about it, but he's still here and stationed on Earth with the humans that we both care about...so...thanks. Hell is still completely awful, and I've been hearing whispers of how some demons want to trap me in the torture chamber for a decade, how some of them are trying to find a way to permanently end me, and it's all because I'm different. Why? Oh well...if my difference allows me to be close to Aziraphale, I'll take their cruelty and darkness in stride. I'm a demon after all, aren't I? That's what I SHOULD be doing.** _

_ **Dear God,  
** _ _ **I met your mortal son today. He's a very bright young man, and he knew who I used to be! He doesn't call me by it, of course, but he suggested that my name be Crowley instead of Crawley. I like it. I'll take his suggestion. Oh, if Hell knew of my name...that it was given by Jesus, they'd flip! Anyway, yeah, bright young man. He asked me what I currently had going on and I told him I have commendation for a whole year and a half, meaning I won't be observed by Hell at all. Neither my physical form, spiritual form, or any of my 'miracles'. He asked me if I would like to learn carpentry from him! I couldn't believe it! It was almost as if you yourself were giving me something to do again. I couldn't say yes fast enough. He laughed at my eagerness, but I didn't mind! Aziraphale would like him a lot. I'm sure they would have LOADS to talk about. You know...he actually doesn't mind snakes? Anyway, I'm about to be off to my first lesson.** _

_ **Dear God,  
** _ _ **Well...half way through my fifteenth lesson, and I cut the back of my hand...badly. I think...if Aziraphale were here, he would call me foolish and say I should be more careful. You know...like he usually does when he sees me being foolish. Jesus healed it of course. I just miss Aziraphale. I can't explain it. It's like that feeling from before keeps getting stronger. I'm pretty sure what I can call it, but to call it that...being what I am...it's a bit...I'm going to sound childish...but it's a bit frightening. I'm scared. I've never because of anything to do with Aziraphale before. I don't like the feeling. Scared of Hell? Oh yeah, that's a given, but scared of what my heart and grace are doing when Aziraphale is around...God...what's wrong with me?** _

_ **Dear God,  
** _ _ **I stood by Aziraphale's side as they crucified Jesus. It took all I had not to weep. Aziraphale looked close, and well, one of us had to be the strong one. I kept talking to try and distract him. He was fiddling with his ring like he usually does when he desperately wants to help or to intervene, but can't, or like when he gets really anxious about something and he starts messing with his hands. He asked me what I thought of him, and I told him. I just didn't tell him he was my mentor and friend. I doubt he'd believe me anyway.** _

_ **Dear God,  
It's been eight years since Jesus was crucified, and Aziraphale found me this time. I thought I felt him, but I wasn't entirely sure. Then...he came over. He came over and spoke to me as if we were old friends. That's...that's when I found out what I had been feeling since Eden, and it certainly wasn't friendship. It was more. SO MUCH MORE. However, I doubted that something like me could feel that, so I tested it by taking him up on his offer for oysters. Quick question...why would you make something that looks so sinful when it's eaten!? Anyway, for the few moments that dinner lasted...I didn't feel like a demon or even an angel. I felt...human. It was...wonderful, terrifying, satisfying, and it filled me with a giddy sort of joy that was really hard to contain when I was sitting right next to Aziraphale, who never TRULY treated me like a demon. Now...I sit on my bed in the inn I'm staying at, and I understand the feeling. It also terrifies me even further. What will happen to him if Hell finds out that I went and Fell a second time...but this time...in love. I've been in love with him since the wall, and I don't think I have any real chance of stopping. It just...it keeps growing.** _

Aziraphale nearly dropped the book as he kept reading the last few sentences over and over again. Soon, he clutched the front of his shirt where his heart was pounding more wildly than it ever had before, and he felt tears streak down his cheeks. "He...He loves me..." He then shook his head and steeled himself before reading some more. "He loved me then...what about now? I have to keep reading to see if it stayed that way."

_ **Dear God,  
I probably shouldn't be praying this to you, but Aziraphale dressed as a knight...I couldn't say no when he refused me. I just...I couldn't. I couldn't argue any further. Especially when he raised his voice. It sent a dangerous sort of thrill down my spin, and then my armor became very uncomfortable. Sorry again for troubling you with this, but as it is, I'm not sure if you've gotten ANY of my prayers, and I had to tell someone so...yeah. I think I'll make my side lose so he can be happy and so he can get the commendation he deserves. He needs a break. He won't take one, but at least he won't be waiting for his next orders for a time.** _

"Oh my word..." Aziraphale could feel his face heating up, his pulse becoming faster, and his pants becoming tighter just at the thought that the same thing had happened to Crowley when the demon had seen him dressed in armor, or rather, that the same thing happened at all, and it was because of him! Without thinking, he brought a hand down to his effort, and gasped at the sensation that shot straight to his hips and up his spine. He was hard and wanting, but he had to try and train his focus on the book. At least to it's most recent. He needed to understand. So, he brought his hand back up to the book, and continued to read.

_ **Dear God,  
Why, oh WHY can I NEVER say NO to Aziraphale! He just gives me that look that grips my heart and makes it burn like the stars once did in my hands, and I just...I CAN'T! He gave me that look...he gave me that BLASTED look that silently asked me to miracle Hamlet a success, and I...I couldn't fucking say NO! I wanted nothing more than to make him happy. I don't know if I've already said this or not, but I believe it's one of my life missions now to make him happy. I always want to see him smile. It warms me to my core and makes me feel...whole. I think...and you'll likely disagree, because well, I'm a demon, but I think I live for that smile. I think I live for him. After all, it was him alone that immediately vanished my suicidal thoughts from Eden, and he STILL hasn't shunned me! I'm continuously impressed and baffled by him, and I don't think I could do enough to show how grateful I am, because he's always doing something that makes me want to do more for him. Hamlet WAS a success, in case you somehow didn't know, and now I'm going to bed. Goodnight.** _

_ **Dear God,  
I've rescued him YET AGAIN from another mishap. I don't mind it, you know. It makes me feel at least a little bit important. I know I'm one of Hell's best. I mean for crying out loud...I'm just under Prince Beelzebub, but nothing quite makes me feel as needed and wanted as when Aziraphale wants me to do stuff for him. I don't think I could tell him no about anything unless it was something that would permanently separate us, but also...I don't think there's anything I'd WANT to tell him no to...other than never seeing each other of course. Anyway, we had crepes, and he thought it would be funny to get me a crepe with apples. It was actually pretty good, but I like watching him eat more than I like eating. The smile that appears on his face and the noises he sometimes makes...God...those noises! They haunt my dreams, but in the best ways! I probably shouldn't be telling you any of this, because my thoughts are far from holy for that angel, and the smug look on his face when they took the executioner to be executed rather than Aziraphale...I was nearly speechless at that smug look. My feelings are getting stronger and scarier. I'm frightened further and further of what Hell would do to him. I need to figure something out. Something in case it all goes pear shaped...well, until next time...goodnight.** _

_ **Dear God,  
Well, I asked him for Holy Water, I asked him to get it for me, and he wouldn't. I wish I could explain to him that I want it in case Hell comes after him to hurt him. I'll kill any demon that tries to hurt him, I will, but I need the right tools! It was just for insurance, but he thought I was going to kill myself, and now I've said something I don't mean. Something I could never mean. I told him I didn't need him, but I need him so much more than I can describe. I need him on the days he's angry with me, on the days he sent to thwart me, on the days where he can't stand me, but still stays by me...I need him like the humans need air or their heartbeats, I need them like...well...I don't think there's anything accurate enough to say how much I need him.** _

_ **Dear God,  
I woke up from a very long nap, and the world has changed so much! I've gotten myself a vehicle. I believe it's called a Bentley. She's beautiful and as soon as I got her...I wasn't sure if it was you or me, God, but she's sentient. It's a good thing, but still...a little strange. Anyway, I don't think I should see Aziraphale right now, even though every ounce of me is screaming to...I just can't. Not after the horrible things I said.** _

_ **Dear God,  
Hope you don't mind, but I bombed a church. I did it to save Aziraphale. I also put a miracle around his books. I know how much he loves his books, and I will never allow a frown to appear on his face. Not again. And certainly not when I can do something about it. God...it almost hurts how much I love him, and God...I love him. I've loved him since Eden, but...he could never love me. I'm unlovable and unforgivable. You made me this way, but I've decided that doesn't matter, God. I'll love him anyway. I...I don't think my heart will let me do anything else. I think if any demon were to have a purpose...I've found mine.** _

Tears started streaming down Aziraphale's face as his heart suddenly felt to big for his corporeal form and even his true form. He reread it over and over again at least ten times, and eventually he had to put his thumb in the middle while he sobbed into his other hand. _'I-I can't remember ever being this happy!'_ He thought to himself. He was so relieved and happy that even his thoughts were sobbing with pure unhindered joy.

After about an hour of joyful sobbing, Aziraphale dried his tears and attempted to compose himself to read whatever else was there, but the realization that Crowley returned his feelings was almost overwhelming, and then there was the fact that he was sitting in a place that Crowley had built specially for him. Oh, there were so many questions, so many realizations, and so many things to talk to Crowley about in the morning, but those could wait. So, with dried eyes and a full heart, he continued reading.

_ **Dear God,  
** _ _ **He...He gave me Holy Water. I'm...I'm holding a thermos of Holy Water. He...He likely still thinks I'm going to use it to end my life. I can't let him think that. After I lock this up in the safe, I'm going to plan an evening so grand he'll forget about the Holy Water. It's not gonna be the Ritz, that's not grand enough for my Angel. Wait...MY Angel? I-I like the sound of that, but that's a bit blasphemous...either way...my Angel...I like it. SO! I will...let's see...OH YES! I know exactly what I'm going to do for him, God! He said something about a picnic! That's what I'll do! We'll have a picnic under the stars and a full moon! OH! Or maybe a New Moon! That way, the stars are more visible! I'll work out the details later, but there'll be wine, bread, cheese, fruit, and a couple of meals I have to figure out that I'll cook myself, and I'll miracle the bugs away from our food so they don't disturb him...yes...I'll do that. If I can think of something grander, I'll do that, too. He has no idea what he's given me! He's given me the one thing that can DEFINITELY help me protect him! However...he did say that I go too fast for him. I do hope he meant my driving. If I go any slower with him...well...I won't be moving at all! He doesn't even know that I find him insanely attractive! All of him! His arms, his legs, his ankles when they show, his shoulders, and Lord! His belly! I just want to kiss all over it and never stop until every inch is COVERED in my kisses and red marks! Oh, and those eyes! I swear! Had I known those eyes before I created the stars...there would've been thousands of stars, no...GALAXIES...no...NEBULAE...there would've been so many things I would've modeled after his eyes, and I know for a fact that I would STILL never get it right! I want to hold him and never let him go, but...I digress...I'll plan something. I'll do something that'll get his mind off of him giving me Holy Water. Sorry for the long prayer...I'm still not even sure if you GET demonic prayers...let alone mine, but...I'm not like the others...I still have faith in you. I'm more pissed off than anything in the universe, but yeah...still have faith.** _

** _Dear God,  
Please let our plan work! I can't imagine a world without Aziraphale, and more importantly...I don't want to._ **

** _Dear God,  
We got the wrong fucking boy! Now, I still like the Warlock kid...I practically raised him since his mother couldn't be bothered...but the wrong kid! Now what am I going to do!? I'm going to lose my Angel!_ **

_ **Dear God,**   
**I...I don't even know right now. He lied to me. I could tell he was lying to me. He KNOWS where the real Antichrist is, but he lied to me. Not only that, but...he said there was no more 'our side'. He said that we weren't friends. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. He...He doesn't even want me by his side. He's lying through his teeth to me. He's never lied to me. To others, about our friendship...but never once has he ever lied to me. Until now. I'm not mad at him. I can't be mad at him. I love him far too much to be mad at him, but I'm mad at whatever caused him to be so afraid that he felt the need to lie to me. I'll forgive him of course, but first I need to think...about what I'm going to do next.** _

_ **Dear God,**   
**Please! I beg you! I'll go back to Hell and stay there if I must, but PLEASE! Let him be all right! I felt...I felt something...not right. I felt something separate and he's not answering his phone! Please! If you have any love for me left at all, if I'm not completely out of your heart, PLEASE! I beg you! I don't care if you destroy me permanently, just please! Let him be okay! PLEASE!** _

_ **God,  
I don't know and I don't care who killed him. Someone killed my best friend. Someone killed Aziraphale. There's no point in saving the world anymore. Once it gets into full Armageddon swing...I'll fight, but I'll be fighting BOTH sides. I'll fight Heaven AND Hell. It should've been me! I'm the one who's damned! I'm the one who's a demon! He didn't deserve it! So...I'm going to drink until it REALLY starts. I have nothing else to do.** _

_ **Dear God,  
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I don't know what strings you're pulling up there, but he's ALIVE! The world is worth living in again! Oh, I'll double my efforts to make sure he's happy! I swear it! He'll want for nothing! I'll SHOW him how much I love him, since I could never form the words, and even if he NEVER notices, at least I'll get to see that warm, alive, and joyful smile of his! For as long as he'll have me! We're going to help stop the end of the world, and then...I don't know what else!** _

_ **Dear God,  
Thank you.** _

That was the end of it as far as what involved Aziraphale, but the last one said nothing about him. However, that wasn't his main concern as his heart was pounding wildly in his chest and a lump in his throat became bigger and bigger with a joyfully sobbing feeling emanating from it. "He feels the same!" His voice shook as the fire made a deciding crackle. With all the information in his mind, he quickly put the book up in one of the walls, closed it, locked it, and immediately left the book cottage to go into the bigger one to find Crowley.

Once outside Crowley's door, he knocked three times, waiting patiently. When the door opened to reveal a sleepy Crowley, he wasted no time in pushing him back in the room by grabbing him by his sleep shirt, and pushing him against a wall. "A-Angel! Wh-What!? D-Did I d-do s-something!?" Crowley stuttered out as he gripped Aziraphale's wrists.

"Yes, you did." He practically growled out before bringing his lips to Crowley's, drawing out a moan from himself at how soft they felt, and the excited yet nervous lightning it sent up and down his spine. Soon, he felt Crowley's hands loosen, but they then met softly and so lovingly with either side of his face.

When they finally separated, Crowley slid down the wall, blinking up at Aziraphale in shock. "I...um...look...this...this is a wonderful d-dream, but I-"

"It's not a dream, Crowley." Aziraphale sighed out in exasperation. "I just learned that you feel the same about me that I do for you, and you've been showing it for millennia! After realizing that...how can I NOT tell you that I love you? Except...the words wouldn't come out, and I've been wanting to kiss you for so lo-" Crowley cut him off with a hand pulling on his neck, bringing his lips back to Crowley's once again.

Aziraphale helped lift Crowley off of the floor, their lips never leaving one another and soon, Aziraphale found his back up against the wall instead. He then felt Crowley's thigh in between his legs as the demon let out a deep vibrating moan, sending a whole new kind of shiver throughout Aziraphale's body. "Aziraphale..." He called out in a low, throaty, husky, growl, and if Aziraphale wasn't hard before from just the kiss, he was definitely hard as stone now. "...if...if we keep kissing...I'm gonna want less clothes. If you don't-"

Aziraphale interrupted Crowley with a snap of his fingers, making their clothes immediately vanish somewhere unknown, but at the moment, neither cared much about that as they took the time to look at each other completely. Aziraphale took notice of what Crowley's cock looked like compared to his own. They were close to the same length, but he himself was a little thicker. He also took not of all the sharp angles and gentle curves that graced Crowley's body. "As you can see..." He started when he could finally find his voice, as shot as it was just from the mere sight of Crowley, and he gestured to his effort. "...I very much want."

"R-Right...s-so...what...which one of us is gonna be on top?"

Aziraphale blinked several times at that. "Wait...are you...?"

"Yes, I'm a virgin." He rolled his eyes. "Ha ha! The demon's a virgin. Are you? A um...A virgin...I mean..."

"W-Well, yes."

"Great, so we're doing this by instinct, but to be honest...I want to make you happy. I want to make you feel good in every way possible. I-I'd...if you'd let me, I'd like to be on top."

"I'd be glad to follow your lead anywhere, my dear." He held Crowley's hands in his, brought them up to his lips, and gently, if a bit reverently kissed them.

"Aziraphale..." He whispered out in a tone that asked, 'Is this real?', in a tone that said, 'If it isn't...let me dream just a little longer.' And it sent a pleasant chill down Aziraphale's spine. Soon, he brought his right hand up to the side of Aziraphale's face and gently kissed the angel's nose, then his cheeks, then his forehead, desperately trying to push every ounce of love he could offer, and the angel felt it all. Then, Crowley wrapped his left arm around his waist while his other hand made Aziraphale tilt his head ever so slightly, giving just enough room for him to gently and slowly kiss him from the base of his ear to the nape of his neck, and then to his shoulders.

"Crowley..." He moaned out as his hands desperately held onto Crowley's waist. "...I think...a bed...might be...better."

"Eager, Angel?"

He could hear it was meant as a joke, but he wasn't joking about any of this in the slightest. "I've been eager for millennia, my dear!" He breathed out in one shuddering breath.

Crowley pulled away with a skeptical brow. "What happened to me going to fast for you?"

"I thought you were going to kill yourself! I wasn't ready for you to leave yet. I wasn't ready to lose you. I wasn't...but that's all over now. Right now, in this incredible moment, I'm standing in front of you, nervous, naked, and I want you. I want to know you in ways that no one else is ever allowed to know you except me. I want to be known by you until I scarcely know myself. Crowley...my sweet demon..." Tears were starting to fall from his eyes, and normally Crowley would wipe them away in an instant, but his eyes were wide while his limbs forgot how to work as Aziraphale's words pierced him over and over again in his heart in the most blissful way possible. "...Crowley, I love you."

"I...you...you love me?" He questioned, just barely above a whisper. "This...this isn't a dream." He stated as he took in the sight of Aziraphale again, as if it was the first time he had done so. "I...in my dreams, we...we have sex, but...you've never once said you love me."

"I do love you, my dear, and I have since Eden, but I only realized it back in 1941. Now, are we going to talk all night standing naked in front of each other or-Mmpf!" Quickly being silenced by a desperate and tearful kiss from Crowley, who had apparently started crying, Aziraphale wrapped his arms around Crowley, sighing into the kiss.

Without warning, he was quickly picked up by Crowley in the middle of the kiss as if he weighed nothing at all, and despite how he would normally protest, he found his legs wrapping around the demon and a giddy smile appearing on his face just before he was carefully placed onto the bed. "Beautiful." Crowley softly smiled as he ran a hand from Aziraphale's left shoulder to his right hip, then down his right thigh, gently grabbing a little as his hand traveled.

"I-I'm...I'm soft..." He panted, the gentle grabs sending spikes of pleasure up his spine and back down to his groin.

"I know. I love it. Always have." Crowley bent down and gave countless gentle kisses to his belly, holding it with both hands as if it were the most precious thing in the world. "So soft, so plump, so wonderful, so _mine!_" What Aziraphale was sure to be an aggressive kiss turned into a possessive bite, which then turned into sucking, and at that point, he knew what Crowley was doing, but the pleasure was endless, and as he kept doing it, he started leaking onto himself from Crowley's attention.

That went on for a good and pleasurable thirty minutes and Aziraphale's throat was growing sore from all of the moaning he had done from it. His cock ached for attention, for Crowley's attention, and he finally had enough. "Crowley, please!" He breathed out, purposely pushing the sound of desperation in his voice.

"Mmmm...Please what, my angel?"

"I want you...my cock wants you!"

Crowley immediately lifted himself from where he was at and blinked at Aziraphale several times. "Well, well, well, Angel...who knew you had quite the mouth on you."

"I could show you if you like." Aziraphale smirked, feeling what Crowley dubbed as 'his bastard self' coming through due to the insane amount of pleasure and neglect Crowley had given him.

"Show me what?" He swallowed.

"What my mouth can do."

"Wh-What happened to being a virgin!" He squeaked.

"I am, but that doesn't mean I don't know what to do. You'd be surprised what are in books now a days."

"You're certainly going to make the bedroom interesting, aren't you?"

"Be no fun otherwise." He shot back with a wicked grin, too pleasured to care.

"And they call ME a demon! HA!" He shook his head before slinking down to his cock. He wrapped a careful hand around it, earning a shuddering gasp from his angel. "So sensitive. Have you not even touched yourself?"

"Oh, I-I have."

"Really? Do tell. What do you think about?"

"You, always you!" He panted.

"Really, and what do I do in your thoughts?" He asked before he placed a gentle kiss on the tip.

"AH! Y-You um...you make love to me sometimes. Other times, I imagine what you might look like if you masturbate, then there's what I hope you're about to do, which is putting your mouth over my cock."

"Filthy angel. Tell me if I do anything you don't like or anything you find wrong, okay? I want to make you happy, and I don't want to hurt you."

"And they call ME an angel." He remarked. "Don't worry, Dearest, I'll tell you if you do anything I don't approve of." Crowley nodded his head before taking Aziraphale into his mouth, quickly earning the angels' hand gripping his hair and moans of pleasure. "YES! That! Keep g-going!" Aziraphale commanded, so Crowley did. A hazy ten minutes later, Aziraphale felt as if all of the pleasure he had felt since the beginning had come together in one spot, and it was about to erupt like a volcano. "Cr-Crowley! I'm...! I'm going to-!"

"Then do it!" Crowley growled out quickly before putting his mouth back on Aziraphale to continue, and not long after he continued, he got exactly what he asked for. After swallowing down every drop, he lifted himself off of Aziraphale to look at him, and saw that he was in complete bliss.

"Crowley..." He breathed out with a confident yet blissful smile on his face.

"Yes, Angel?"

"I finished...but you...didn't. Also...we don't have refractory...periods. We could literally do this...all night if you...want. In anyway you want."

"A-Angel!? Y-You still want more?"

"I'll always want more of you, Crowley. I love you with all that I am."

Crowley made his way to prop himself up on his side so that he could hold the angel's face in his hand once again. "I love you too. I tried to put as much love into your book cottage that I could. However, I have to ask...what brought this on?"

"Apparently, God gave Lucifer a book of your prayers. I only read the ones concerning me, but imagine my surprise when I thought my love was unrequited this whole time, but it turns out it very much so isn't."

"Ah, I see...and Lucifer gave you the book, then?"

"Yes, and I read it, obviously."

"Well, I don't actually know who to thank then...but...perhaps I can just focus on you until dawn."

"Oh, I would love that!" He swooned at the mere thought of it, and as more descriptive and visual thoughts came to mind, he quickly grew hard again. "Although...I do believe I would like..." He felt an urge, a needing urge, a wanting urge, and it was a place he had dreamed of Crowley being. "...I would like you inside me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, otherwise I wouldn't have said it, my love." He reached over and kissed Crowley on the lips. "Please, Crowley."

"As you wish." He grinned, but on the inside, where Aziraphale couldn't hear, his heart was pounding with excitement, joy, wonder, and he was close to tears that he was determined for Aziraphale to NOT see. He moved back to where he was before and miracled some lube onto his finger. "I'm going to have to prepare you first, unless..."

"Please..." He whined as he lifted his butt up.

"Right then..." He scoffed out a pleased laugh before slowly pushing his finger in, carefully gauging Aziraphale's reaction, which was as expected, a harsh wince. "Shh, it's all right, dove. It won't hurt for long, try to relax, and before you ask, yes I'm a virgin, but I do know a lot thanks to being a demon in general. Now, it's up to you to tell me when to move, when to add a finger, when to...do anything basically. I'm at your command, Angel."

The last sentence alone was enough to cause Aziraphale's cock to twitch with anticipation. It was like something from one of his fantasies, but it was really happening. He soon relaxed and nodded his head for him to move, but when he did, it felt just like before he finished the last time, but this time, he felt it center in his hips and half way up his spine. It was pure pleasure, and his mouth was forced open in a soundless moan, where only gasps and pants of pleasure were released. Time ceased to have meaning at that moment, but apparently at some point he had nodded his head telling Crowley to add another finger, because before he realized it, there it was, causing even more pleasure, but this one gave him his voice. "Crowley! Yes! Oh! Crowley! So Good! Oh, my wonderful Demon! So good!"

"Oh, Angel, the noises you make!" He moaned out.

"Another, Crowley...put another in me." Crowley did so without further prompting, causing Aziraphale to quickly grip the pillows and sheets as he continued to gasp and moan Crowley's name as if it were a prayer, which in turn, sent shivers up and down the demon's spine.

"Aziraphale, i-if you keep moaning like that...I'm going to be done for! untouched!"

"Then get inside me, my demon! My Love!"

Crowley nodded his head as he slowly removed his fingers, quickly earning him an instinctive whine from the angel, but he ignored it for now as he lifted Aziraphale's legs so that he could line himself up where he needed to be. "Do you want me to go all at once or-WHOA!" Before he could finish, Crowley quickly found himself on his back.

"You're taking too long."

"Well, damn!" He laughed out as he got comfortable. "You know what, I think I like this a lot better."

"So do I." Aziraphale grinned before positioning himself and Crowley into the right position before sinking down, causing both of them to moan loudly. "O-Oh...oh my..."

"Yeah...same." Crowley breathed out in shaky breaths. "So, do you move or do I?" Aziraphale smirked at him before slowly bouncing up and down on Crowley, causing them both to moan more. "R-Right! G-Got it!" He stuttered out as he held onto Aziraphale's hips for dear life. Once he started moving, Crowley allowed his head to sink into the pillows, unable to make a sound from how much pleasure was coursing through his entire body like a loud and thick pulse that was going to Aziraphale's beat.

It wasn't long before it was nearly too much for both of them. "Cr-Crowley, I-I'm-"

"M-Me too!" They both finished with the other's name on their lips before Aziraphale collapsed onto Crowley and rolled off to the side.

"Crowley?"

Crowley turned to face Aziraphale, still panting from everything that just happened. He snapped his fingers and they were both clean and dressed for bed. "Yeah?" He asked with a fond smile as he looked at Aziraphale with soft and content eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Aziraphale."

"I can't tell you how long I've been wanting to do that." He sighed out as he draped an arm over his demon.

"Doesn't matter how long. Point is we did, and I'll do it over and over again, I'll give you everything. You said you love me. I'm the happiest being in the universe now, and I should know...I helped create it."

"Crowley..."

"Hmm?"

"How long do you think it'll be until Heaven and Hell try to come after us again?"

"Oh, I suspect soon, unfortunately. They're dumb, but not as dumb as we had hoped. Either way, now we know there WON'T be a BIG one after this. God and Lucifer are basically on agreeing terms for now."

"Right...so now...we what...we wait?"

"Now...we wait."


	7. Chapter 7

When Aziraphale woke up, he found that his left hip was considerably heavier than it had been before. He rubbed at his eyes to try and get a better look, and soon realized that it wasn't just his left hip that was heavy, but his left leg as well. He blinked at his left side and saw what at first appeared to be a large, thick, black, rope. Out of curiosity and a still sleep addled brain, he brought his hand carefully down on the strange rope that was wrapped around him and he felt smooth scales. Scales that shouldn't have been that smooth at all on ANY creature, but on this one it was. "Crowley?" He questioned with a tired voice.

He felt the rope move, silently confirming that it was indeed Crowley. "Morning, Angel. How did you sssssleep?"

When he felt Crowley's tongue lick against his ear from the hiss, he violently shuddered as he tried to suppress a moan. _'He is in snake form for someone's sake! It should NOT be THAT attractive or feel THAT good! Sinful! Beast! However...he's also mine...'_ He couldn't stop the wide grin on his face as he pet Crowley's scales. "Considering that was the first time I had truly slept and not merely napped...I slept rather well. How about you, my dear?"

"Woke up a bit sssurprisssed to be in my sssnake form, but consssidering how long I've been waiting to tell you I love you...I guesss my body jussst took over."

"So...you didn't mean to turn into a snake?"

"Not really. One moment I'm wrapping my armsss and legsss around you assss you adorably sssnore...not really believing that I could be ssso lucky or that what happened...had really happened...but I wasss determined to live out the ressst of...what I THOUGHT to be a dream. I wasss ssso overwhelmingly happy and you were ssso warm and you felt ssso real...I wanted to believe it wasss real like you had sssaid, and now that I know it isss...if I wasss in my more normal form...I don't think I'd be able to ssstop sssmiling."

"Dear, you are rather comfortable like this, I must admit, but do turn back to your normal form. I wish to turn over and look at you." Crowley did as he was asked, so Aziraphale quickly turned over to look at him. He then gently brought his hand to the side of Crowley's face. "I love you."

Crowley let out a relieved sort of sigh as he brought his hand to softly lay on top of Aziraphale's while he leaned up into the touch. "I love you, too."

"Hey...Crowley?"

"Hmm?" He asked as he opened his eyes with a soft smile.

"Could I possibly trouble you for some breakfast?"

"No trouble at all, Angel. Do you want it in bed, in the living room, or in the dining room?"

_'Be still my beating heart!'_ He thought as he practically swooned at Crowley's words._ 'Breakfast in bed!?'_ He cleared his throat and nodded his head. "Breakfast in bed sounds lovely if you don't mind."

"Don't mind at all. Sit tight." He gave Aziraphale a quick kiss on his forehead before he hoped out of bed and miracled himself some casual day clothes, and made his way to the kitchen.

Eventually when he was done making breakfast, he brought it to Aziraphale, who was beaming up at him. "Oh! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. I also made you some tea." Aziraphale snapped his fingers and made a tray appear next to his side of the bed so that Crowley could set the food down. "Just bacon, eggs, and waffles I'm afraid. I remember you saying that you liked it, and I wanted to make something quick...so...yeah."

"It's perfect, dear, and it smells amazing!" He looked at the plate then at Crowley, who now sat at the foot of the bed with a curious expression on his face. "Crowley, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, really. Just kind of wondering when we're supposed to suspect Heaven or Hell to show up, and what to do when that happens. I'm wondering who they'll send and-" There was a knock on the bedroom door, interrupting him, as well as causing Aziraphale to quickly miracle himself some casual clothes of his own. "Who's there?"

"Just me." Lucifer's voice came from the other side of the door. "The two of you decent?"

"Yes." Crowley answered, allowing Lucifer to open the door. "What's wrong? Are they here?"

"No, but God and I suspect they'll be here soon. Before the day is out, which means you'll likely want to be at the beach for most of today. God will be in disguise as well, but only the three of us will know who she is. She'll be disguised as an angel that the others will believe they had brought along for field experience in what to do with traitors. I'll be a passerby, but I won't be noticed until I interfere. God and I will watch, wait, and see what the two of you do and what our respective domains do. We won't get involved unless we truly believe we need to."

"Understandable." Aziraphale voiced with a frustrated sigh. "So much for breakfast then."

"After this is all done with, Angel, I'll make it to where you won't want to care about food for at least a week. You'll be too busy caring about other things." He gave a confident wink, causing a furious blush to rush over Aziraphale's cheeks, and they both heard a whistle come from Lucifer.

"And that's why he was one of our best tempting demons! Yikes!" There was a slight chuckle as he fondly shook his head. "How about the two of you have a picnic at the beach? That way Heaven and Hell will think they're catching you by surprise."

"That's a wonderful idea!" Crowley grinned as he looked to Aziraphale. "You did say back in 1967 we could perhaps go for a picnic or to the Ritz, and well...we've already gone to the Ritz."

"I'll leave the preparations to you, my dear. I'll look in my room for a book to bring."

"So...we have a plan." Crowley nodded his head and they went their separate ways, preparing for whatever might happen while not seeming prepared in the slightest.

"Yes, we apparently do." Aziraphale breathed out. "Then...what happens after the plan?" He asked Lucifer with a curious look in his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Well...Crowley and I tricked Heaven and Hell...so...will there be a new end of the world or..."

"Ah, we talked about that actually, and we came to an agreement." Lucifer beamed before he turned his bright smile to Crowley. "One I think you'll like in particular."

"Oh?" He questioned as he crossed his arms.

"Yes. God and I decided that since ALL things have to come to an end...even the Earth, that perhaps the Armageddon that both of our sides wanted could still happen...but only after all of the humans are long gone from the Earth."

"Wait..." Aziraphale started. "...so you're just going to wait for all of the humans to die? How would that make Crowley happy?"

"You can't be serious..." Aziraphale immediately noticed the tone of awe rather than anger or frustration, which caused him to furrow his brow in concern. "...She's really going to let them!?"

"Yes, we talked about it, and it only seemed right since you love them so much."

"I'm confused and rather lost." Aziraphale groaned. "Could someone please explain?"

"Angel..." Crowley let out a joyful huff of a laugh, his smile bright, and his eyes even brighter. Aziraphale can't quite remember a time when Crowley seemed so...angelic. Not even in the dream. He just kept surprising him. "...he means that...well...the humans...they've already been to the moon and even further. They'll eventually...well...now that Sam says that God will let them...they'll eventually all leave Earth and live among the stars and planets! _MY_ stars and planets! The humans that I love so much...will live among the very things I created as an Archangel! The beings I love...will be among the creation I MADE out of love!"

"That's right." Lucifer nodded. "Once every last human is gone from the Earth, either in death or among your stars, THEN God and I will watch as the angels and demons fight."

"Who um..." Crowley started. "...who do you think will win?"

"Honestly? I don't know. The victors get Earth, or what's left of it, and bragging rights, but that's about it. If the other demons were even _HALF_...for crying out loud... if they were even _one FOURTH_ as smart as you, Crowley, they would've realized that all of the questions they've asked...me included...have been answered and any other questions they wish to ask...will be answered in time. As for the angels...well...I can't really speak for them. Once we were out of the way...one would've thought that would've been the end of it, but nope..."

"I know why." Aziraphale sighed. "It's because they're scared. We were all made to love her, and we were all made to follow her...but then there were questions and doubts. It scared them. It scared me too, for a bit, but then I met Crowley...and I wasn't scared anymore. However, the others...they don't have that. They're scared that it was able to happen at all. They're scared, because they don't know why, if we were supposed to always follow and love God...why she wouldn't just destroy all of the questioners and doubters. They wondered why she would keep them alive...you...alive...and many of them believe that demons serve no purpose, but that isn't true...but they can't see that. Instead...they're scared, angry, and many of them are still hurt, because many of them lost their partners to the fall."

"Yes...I remember..." Lucifer nodded his head with a furrowed brow. "Gabriel and Beelzebub were mated. Beelzebub was a Principality like you, Aziraphale."

"I've never heard Gabriel speak of it." Aziraphale furrowed his brow in slight disbelief.

"Yes, well, he remembers." Crowley replied. "If the way Gabriel looked at Beelzebub and talked to her when they appeared at the airbase was anything to go by. Plus, when have you known Gabriel to share his feelings? At least other feelings that weren't held with negativity and a true holier than thou attitude?"

"Fair point." Aziraphale conceded. "So! When do we start our...picnic?"

"Soon, I suspect." Crowley sighed. "Let me get a shower in and I'll get everything together. Do you want wine or lemonade with our picnic?"

"Oh...lemonade sounds lovely."

"Right..." Lucifer started. "I'll leave you two alone and I'll go tell God the plan. Heh..." He chuckled lightly as a realization dawned on him. "...me...telling God...the plan. Oh...irony." With that, he left as he continued to chuckle lightly at the notion.

"Well, that's one way to start one's morning." Aziraphale shook his head, but there was a fond smile on his face. "So...the humans will eventually be allowed among your stars."

"Seems so." Crowley smiled. "Well, I don't actually want to think about that right now. That's too...Armageddon-y. I've had enough of that recently, thank you."

"True." Aziraphale nodded as he started to get up. "So, will I be helping you in the shower?"

"Ngk! Wh-What do you mean...by helping?"

"I mean I want to see you naked and touch you some more."

"I...well...um...I..." He cleared his throat and nodded his head before he squeaked out, "Sure."

"Lovely."

Once they were both naked and in Crowley's large bathroom, looking at the overly large shower, Aziraphale smiled while Crowley swallowed a lump in his throat. "We'll um..."

"Crowley, if you don't want to, we don't have to my dear. I can help you completely without touching you in the same way I would in bed."

"I um...I want, I just...I didn't expect...just what kind of books have you read, Angel?"

"Apparently the kind that would make even a demon blush." He laughed warmly.

As he did so, he noticed that Crowley seemed to relax slightly. "That...for some reason makes me feel a bit better. I...I do want, I just...I've read books...lots of books...I know I said I didn't, but I do...but...my books...the ones I've read...they're not like that."

"What do you read then?" He asked as he turned the shower on with widened eyes, a fresh excitement bubbling in his chest that perhaps he and Crowley have another thing to talk about.

"Ah, well...probably nothing you'd be interested in. Um...science books. Both fictional and non-fiction. I like reading what the humans have discovered about science, astrology, and other stuff...but I also like to read the science fiction books they come up with."

"Well, I've read a few." He answers honestly as he holds his hand out into the water, allowing it to come down onto his hand like a strong but steady rain, testing the warmth of it as it became hotter and hotter. Once it was as hot as he could stand, he stepped in, holding a hand out to Crowley, silently telling him to join him. "I enjoy it from time to time, but I enjoy romance novels mostly...oh...and mystery...and adventure."

Crowley took his hand with a calm smile. "So..." He started once he got in, allowing the hot water to cascade down his back like the waterfalls from Eden so long ago. "...you enjoy our life, basically." It wasn't a question, and Aziraphale knew this as he watched Crowley wet his hair, darkening the already scarlet locks. "One big long mysteriously romantic adventure."

"I suppose I must." He answered as he felt his breath tighten in his chest at the sight of Crowley's hair completely wet. His once scarlet hair turned to nearly a cinnamon color while still showing clear evidence of once being an abnormal, yet beautiful color. Quickly shaking himself out of the shock, he remembered what he wanted to do in the shower with Crowley, so he smirked at him before looking up at the shower head. "Mind if I get my hair wet, too?" He asked, gaining a nod from Crowley, who easily moved out of the way as the shower defied logic and space as it was nearly the size of a normal bathroom by itself, and it really shouldn't have been able to fit in the cottage, but truth be told, Aziraphale's own small cottage was like that, but he thought that his eyes must've been playing tricks on him. Apparently not. Apparently Crowley once being the Archangel that helped create space and time in general still stuck with him as a demon as far as powers went.

Once his hair was completely wet, he was about to grab some shampoo to put in Crowley's hair, but the demon beat him to the action as he only caught the briefest of glimpses of Crowley bringing his slender hands to his blonde hair. "Sorry...I kind of...well...I've always wanted to do this." He heard Crowley say while his eyes were closed.

He couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face as his heart felt as warm as the shower. "It feels nice." He commented as he felt the careful fingers move throughout his hair, not leaving an inch without shampoo, but as he worked, Aziraphale noticed something. "Is that...it smells like...Crowley...did you put apple scented shampoo in my hair?"

He heard a deep chuckle from Crowley just before the fingers stopped their devoted work. He soon heard the shower head being removed, and just after that, felt the hot water gently being brought to his head while Crowley used the other hand to remove the soapy water from his soaked curly hair. "And if I did?" Crowley questioned with a hint of amusement.

"Hmm...what happened to the shy demon that was just barely able to form a coherent sentence moments ago?"

"He realized that he made love to the love of his incredibly long life last night, and that now he has the opportunity to continue to show that love."

"When was that realization made?" Aziraphale asked once he felt Crowley's thumbs gently wipe away any remaining soap from his eyelids.

When Aziraphale finally opened his eyes he saw a smile so gentle that it could bring countries to their knees and a shine in his eyes that MUST'VE rivaled his stars. "I've been holding my hand out to you for millennia. I've been devoted to you for millennia, not expecting anything in return, but loving you just the same, and giving you anything you want. Then, as if it were the easiest thing in the world...you step into the shower...and hold your hand out to me...wanting to help me in the shower. It sounds lame...horribly sappy...and disgustingly romantic...but...it made me really happy."

"Then allow me to continue to extend my hand to you, my dear." He moved Crowley underneath the water, wetting his hair again. "Keep your eyes closed." He commanded softly.

"As you wish, Dearest." The word fell out before Crowley could stop it, but when he heard Aziraphale moan softly at it, he decided he would be saying it more often.

"Oh...I quite like that." Aziraphale stated before miracling a different shampoo into his hands, and started washing Crowley's hair, earning soft grunts and pants. "And it appears you quite like it when I wash your hair."

"Feels really good. Like...I want you in bed...good."

"Well, I don't think we'll need a bed." Aziraphale muttered with a slight smirk.

"What!?"

"What?" He asked innocently.

"Wait...is that...Aziraphale, did you put strawberry scented shampoo in my hair!?"

"And if I did?" He asked, repeating Crowley's earlier question.

"It smells nice, but why?"

"Because I know how much you like strawberries. It's one of the few foods I catch you eating when you think no one is looking, and believe me Crowley, you have no idea what you look like when you bite into a really sweet strawberry."

"You...you like watching me eat...you have some sort of...watching me eat food kink!"

"Hmm...perhaps..." He grinned as he got the water and did just as Crowley had done to him. "...we should test that out later. After this whole business is dealt with between Heaven, Hell, and Us." He put the shower head back before wiping the water from Crowley's eyes. "Would you like that?"

"I...yes. I would." He answered as he blinked several times at Aziraphale, but then he looked down. "And apparently you would like something now."

"Oh, I do believe you are not one to talk, my dear demon." He chuckled lightly as he looked down at Crowley's hard cock. He looked Crowley in the eyes and gave a flash of a smirk before wrapping a strong arm around the demon's waist, while using the other hand to pull the demon's face towards him in a crushing and wet kiss, pressing Crowley's body up against his, quickly earning a loud and lewd moan from Crowley as the demon wrapped his arms around Aziraphale.

Crowley broke apart from the kiss with a needy whine of his own. "We...we have to make this quick...we still have to do that...picnic...but...I want...I want you...inside me."

"That can be arranged. Do you want to miracle yourself ready?"

Crowley nodded before he snapped his fingers. "Yeah."

"Good." Aziraphale growled out, thoroughly turned on at the mere idea of being inside his demon, of knowing absolutely every inch of him. He then pushed Crowley up against the wall that didn't have any knobs on it, drawing out a hiss from Crowley.

"That's cold!"

"If I do this right, you won't be thinking about the cold."

"Filthy angel!"

"You love it."

"I dooo." He moaned out, but then he felt his legs being lifted as if they and the rest of his entire body weighed no more than a handful of air. "Whoa!"

"Relax, dear. I have you."

"Yeah!" He laughed out with a small smirk. "I can see that." He wrapped his legs around Aziraphale, ever grateful for the angel's plump rear, allowing him to rest his legs comfortably as his back was pressed firmly against the tile of the shower. Soon, without warning, he felt Aziraphale enter him, pulling out whatever breath might've been in his lungs.

"I...I don't think you readied yourself enough, my dear." Aziraphale gasped as he felt the vice grip Crowley had on his cock.

"M-Move!" Crowley rasped. "P-Please!"

Without needing further prompting, that's exactly what he did, creating a heat unlike he had ever known. It was one thing for Crowley to be inside of him, but being inside of Crowley felt like making love to a storm. He couldn't see anything else in front of him but Crowley, he was wet, he was warm, he was knocking all of the wind out of him while giving it back, seemingly all at once. Hearing Crowley moan with as much ability as his throat was able to muster, sent electricity down his spine, resting in his hips and repeating the action with every moan. When he felt Crowley's nails sharpen ever so slightly as they gripped onto his shoulders, he couldn't help the loud groan of pleasure that left his lips, as the grip made him shudder with thunderous pleasure that despite all his readings, he knows he could've never imagined. It truly was like making love to a storm, and he wondered how else he could change the phenomenon. What other positions they would do and what images it would conjure that would be similar but entirely different to the wonderfully chaotic, yet wholly beautiful storm they were caught up in. However, like all great and powerful storms, there is a greater and powerful peak before it calms once again, and they were both reaching it. "Cr-Crowley! I...I'm going t-to..."

"S-Same! Fuck! Angel! Aziraphale!"

With that, they both finished, their voices echoing off the walls like thunder in a deep valley. Once they both came down from their release, Aziraphale gently helped Crowley to stand, and was grateful that there was a large shower bench in the shower, giving him a place to set Crowley down as he washed Crowley with strawberry scented soap. "That was..." He started as he brought the poof ball to Crowley's abdomen, scrubbing off the mess his demon made on himself.

"Oh...we're doing that again." Crowley groaned. "Not r-right now, but...at some point...fuck." He shook his head as he brought his hand over his eyes. "Let's make a rule that you're inside me in the shower and I'm inside you when we're in bed."

Aziraphale finished up both arms before confidently asking, "Well...who's inside of who out in the Garden? We haven't tried there yet...or on the beach...or in my small cottage..."

"You're not going to allow a single place around us be unmarked by us having sex, will you?"

"Not if I can help it." He answered as he started scrubbing Crowley's legs and hips. "Stand for a moment, would you?" When he did, Aziraphale quickly got his backside, before allowing him to sit back down again so he could continue his work on Crowley's front. "I love you, Crowley, and I intend every room of our cottage and every bit of land of our home...to know it as well as I know it. I've loved you thinking that there was no way you could ever love me...after everything I've done and cruelly said, and even though you do, I know I don't deserve you...but I intend everything around us to know I love you. So, who gets where?"

"Well..." Crowley started, his own heart hammering away helplessly in his chest, his grace singing like it never had before, even when he was creating in the nothing. "...l-let's see..." He took Aziraphale's hand once the angel was done scrubbing him, and allowed himself to be guided to the water once again. Once the angel started to rinse him off, he couldn't help the soft smile as the idea came to him. "Well, in the Garden, since most of the stars above the Earth are mine, at night...I'm inside you, but since the sun rises in the East...oh great and former Guardian of the Eastern Gate of Eden, I suppose you can have me in our mini Eden should we have sex during the day. Now, your small cottage...that goes without saying. However, as for the beach...IF we ever have sex there...it's up for grabs."

"You know...I've always liked the way you think." He smirked before giving Crowley a chaste kiss on the lips.

After Crowley returned the favor of Aziraphale scrubbing and rinsing him off, they both dried off and then got dressed in their other casual clothes before walking into the kitchen together. "So, Angel, what do you want to eat at our picnic?" Crowley asked as he miracled an oval picnic basket onto the dining table. It didn't have a lid, but it did have a thin yet soft cushion inside for the food to rest on.

"Surprise me. You're good at that."

"Ah-hum..." Crowley chuckled, eyes shining with pure amusement as he gathered together some cheeses, apples, and oranges. "...A few minutes ago, you proved that you're full of surprises too, Angel."

"Be that as it may, we might not have much time for our picnic, so...perhaps something light for now."

"I was thinking the same thing, and you're in luck, I made some lemonade when I made your breakfast this morning."

"Oh, delightful!" Aziraphale grinned as he watched Crowley move about the kitchen.

After everything was put together and a small pitcher of lemonade rested in the basket, being held up and firmly put in place by the other food and two glasses, they went to the beach, and Aziraphale set out the blanket that Crowley had gotten, and he was incredibly pleased to find it was tartan. Once everything was set down, as far as the food, plates, and drinks, Crowley looked at Aziraphale with a questioning expression. "Angel?"

"Yes, my dear?" He asked as he ate some of the cheese that Crowley had brought.

"Can I rest my head in your lap?"

"Of course!" He beamed, before miracling their glasses to stay upright as he quickly positioned himself to allow Crowley to lay his head in the middle of his lap.

When he was finally comfortable, Crowley let out a contented sigh. "That's it! I've found the pillow I'm going to use for the rest of my life!"

"Right, I'm the pillow, and you're the blanket. If this morning is anything to go by, what with how you were coiled around me."

"You liked it. You said so. Anyway...does this fit the criteria to one of your romance novels?"

"Darling, you've been exceeding that criteria since Eden. I just hadn't realized it until recently. Well, to be precise, since 1941 when I realized I was in love with you and since VERY recently when I realized that you love me too."

"Quite the pair we make, eh, Angel?"

"I should say so." Aziraphale replied, but right when he did, they both felt a crackle in the atmosphere, accompanied by a twist in the air. "They're here." Aziraphale whispered as quietly as he could while gently placing his hand on Crowley's arm, turning his protective instincts up as far as they could go, ready for anything Heaven and Hell might throw at them.


	8. Chapter 8

"Well, then let's put on a show, shall we, Angel? After all, they did come all this way to see us." Crowley smirked at Aziraphale, who immediately understood what he meant.

"Both would understand if you were to move first, but what if I did? They're getting closer."

"Then I guess you should be, too." Crowley nearly chuckled as his heart was pounding with excitement, anticipation and amusement.

Once they both figured they were close enough, Aziraphale gave Crowley a devilish look, quickly creating a blush on Crowley's face as he brought two fingers underneath chin before leaning in to kiss his lips. _'I wonder, can we communicate like this? I've heard of mated angels sharing a telepathic link of sorts. Are we mated officially now? Would it work even though you're a demon?'_ Aziraphale asked mentally before separating from Crowley's lips just enough to show Gabriel and Beelzebub his tongue going into the demon's mouth as the Archangel and demon stopped abruptly and exactly ten steps away from their picnic blanket.

_'Seems so!'_ Crowley's mental reply came with a burst of joy and surprise as he brought his hand up to the back of Aziraphale's neck in a loving manner before sliding it to the right side of his angel's cheek. _'Angel, I can feel the ire and disgust as if it were the wind itself. How long do you plan on raising their fury.'_

_'Well, I wasn't planning on stopping, but if you think we should.'_

_'If you keep it up...I'm going to want you on the beach here and now.'_

_'It will be their fault if they stay and watch.'_

At that, Crowley broke the kiss, bursting into a fit of laughter as he fell onto his back, clutching his stomach. "ANGEL!" He belted out through his mirthful laughter.

"Sit up, dear." Aziraphale gently requested, but to Gabriel and Beelzebub, who were staring completely speechless at the scene before them, it was a command.

"All right." Crowley agreed as his laughter died down to a soft chuckle that vibrated his chest as he got up. "What is it?"

Aziraphale reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a lush, red, crisp, and delicious apple. "Could I _tempt_ you to a bite?"

Crowley smiled brightly as he clasped Aziraphale's one hand with both of his. "I'd _love_ a bite, Angel. Thank you." He bent down slightly and took a bite as the apple still rested firmly in the angel's hand. As he was chewing, he took that moment to slowly let go of Aziraphale's hands to look at Gabriel and Beelzebub, who both wore slack jawed expressions and hints of confusion as well as disgust in their eyes. "Oh! Fancy seeing the two of you here! Are you here for a picnic too?"

Surprisingly enough, just behind Gabriel, Michael showed up, but not surprisingly...so did God, who was wearing her hair short, but wavy at her shoulders, and was wearing a white suit rather than a dress. Then, just behind Beelzebub, Hastur showed up. They both looked their normal Hellish selves, but with a hefty miracle making their deformities appear invisible for the time being. "Please, there's plenty to go around." Aziraphale commented before kissing Crowley on the cheek now that they were all here.

"Wh-What!?" Hastur shrieked. "What did I just see!?"

"You know, Hastur...I trapped you in voicemail, but I didn't think it would actually have a physical effect on you, but in case it did, you just saw Aziraphale kiss my cheek. Now...food? Anyone?"

"N-No!" Hastur shouted as he stepped back two steps. "We did not come here to...eat...with you."

"He's right." Beelzebub started. "We came here, because we've found out about your stunt. We didn't know how either of you pulled it off at first, but after Gabriel and I compared...notezzz I supozzze..." Beelzebub winced, clearly biting her tongue to control the buzzing sensation, but then Crowley noticed a peculiar sight as he watched Gabriel show a flash of sympathy and care in his eyes as he waved his hand at the prince of Hell to signal for her to stop.

_'Did you see that, Angel?'_

_'I did. He...'_

_'...He still loves her.'_

_'And judging from the grateful look she swiftly sent his way...she still loves him. How curious.'_

"We compared notes and found that there was only one explanation for the two of you surviving extinction."

"Oh? And what would that be?" Crowley challenged as he stood.

"Yes, I'm quite curious what that might be as well." Aziraphale added as he, too, stood.

Michael stepped forward with a smug grin on her face. "The two of you had to have switched bodies."

Aziraphale and Crowley looked at each other, feigning surprise and fear, because now both of them could feel Lucifer's presence, but he was at the Bentley, just out of sight from everyone else. "Well..." Crowley started.

"Oh, and don't even pretend the two of you hadn't been betraying either side for longer than two centuries!" She took out photos and slammed them onto the sand, miracling them to stay put, and for the send to disperse off of the photos.

Aziraphale bent down and picked the one up from their conversation in 1862 while Crowley picked up the image of them at the Globe theater and when they were discussing the Antichrist. "Wow..."

"As you can clearly see-" Michael started, but was completely interrupted by Crowley, who showed Aziraphale the globe theater picture.

"Angel, can you believe that was actually a fashion trend!?"

"Indeed!" Aziraphale laughed. "Look at your goatee! Ha!"

"Says the angel with sideburns..." He smirked as he pointed at Aziraphale's picture. "Not a good look for you."

"Oh, I don't want to hear it." He laughed joyfully. "You're sporting the same awful sideburns, just in a different color! Although, they did look rather handsome on you."

"Oh?" He leaned back, his voice taking an inquisitively higher pitch. "You think so?"

"Yes, but if you grow them out again, I'm shaving them off in your sleep, and after that, while you're still asleep, I'll go into the Garden and tell you plants all sorts of nice things."

"Got it!" He chuckled. "Duly noted. No sideburns."

"There was also the time in Paris...hmm...when was it?"

"That was...1793, I believe. We had crepes." Crowley smirked, remembering Aziraphale's remark from years ago when they were discussing the end of the world and how to prevent it.

"That's right! You rescued me from discorporation! Nasty business, that would've been an awful lot of paper work."

"Yeah, trust me, I've seen Hastur discorporated and how long it takes him to get a body. You don't want that."

"Oh! And your hair! It was just so awful!"

"It was in style at the time, Angel. Besides, I wasn't the one dressed as the one thing they were looking to behead."

"Oh, there was also that awful mustache you sported for a while. Wasn't it while you were creating the M25 circle thing?"

"Yes!" Crowley grinned in amusement as he could feel the astonishment become as tangible and as thick as fresh honey.

"Yes, if I see you with that ever again as well, I will personally make it to where the coffee pot in the house doesn't work for anyone but me."

Crowley gasped with widened eyes. "You wouldn't!"

"I would!"

"Not the coffee machine!"

"YES! No mustache for you."

"Alright, alright, fine, but you like my long hair, right?"

"Well, of course I do. I've loved it since Eden." Aziraphale glanced to his side at the gobsmacked angels and demons, and God, who seemed to be trying desperately to hold back her laughter, and smirked. "Oh! So sorry, forgot you were here. Anyway, what can we do for you?"

"Uh, how about explaining yourself!" Gabriel spat.

"Explain?" Aziraphale tilted his head with an innocent smile, that Crowley could tell was far from innocent. "Explain what, Gabriel."

"That's Archangel Gabriel to you, you lowly angel."

"Hold up...Lowly angel?" Crowley snickered. "You think...you think Aziraphale is a...you honestly believe he's a lowly angel!?"

"Of course!" Michael and Gabriel chorused together, but Beelzebub gave Gabriel a confused look as she furrowed her brow at him.

"Why would you think that?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Wait..." Gabriel immediately turned to face her with a confused expression. "...how would you know if he was or wasn't a lowly angel."

"I was a Principality, remember?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" Gabriel huffed out, quickly growing irritated, while both of them accidentally caught the astounded attentions of Michael and Hastur.

"Aziraphale was the leader of the entire Garrison of Eastern Principalities! Why do you think he was made to guard the Eastern Gate of Eden!? He's not a lowly angel, Gabriel. He's a rank higher than you! Heaven! He was the highest rank out of all Principalities!"

"You..." Aziraphale started. "...I remember you. I won't say your name...but...you were one of my best. What happened?"

Beelzebub blushed ever so slightly, making Gabriel's eyes go wider if possible. "Well...it was the humans. They were new, they were fragile, they were vulnerable, they were wingless, they were going to be given the power to create, they were going to be given the opportunity to multiply, and they were going to be given charge over all of Earth in time. It was...overwhelming. We weren't being told anything, and I just...well...I wanted to know how to care for the humans properly, but we weren't even allowed to know that. I followed Raphael's lead more than I followed Lucifer's...if I am...um...to be honest, but that was before he died in battle."

"Wait, why ARE you being honest, and...sappy!" Hastur spat the word out as if it were Holy.

"A perk of being me, and her being a former one of mine." Aziraphale replied. "They could never lie to me. No matter what."

"So..." Gabriel breathed out. "Y-You're really a Principality!? And have been this whole time?"

"Wow..." Crowley started. "Hastur is blind and now you're deaf. I wonder where Jesus is, perhaps he could help the two of you out. Oh...sorry, Hastur...you might just die. Well, at least there would be one improvement. Well, at least I now know that Beelzebub at least thought I was dead for a while."

"I didn't mention anything about you, SNAKE!" She growled out.

"Ah, but you did!" He grinned before giving a dramatic bow. "Former Archangel Raphael, at Aziraphale's service, not yours. Well, I suppose God or Lucifer's as well, but-"

"You can't serve two masters!" Beelzebub warned, but then she realized what he said and her jaw dropped slightly along with Gabriel's and Michael's. "Wait..."

"I remember when Mother spoke you into being. I was there, do you remember? You had trouble with your bottom wing. Your feathers at the end were just a bit longer than the others, but you were made that way on purpose, of course. It made for excellent flying, and in a few centuries time...before God and I started time OUTSIDE of Heaven, you were flying NEARLY to my speed."

"R-Raphael!" She gasped as she covered her mouth in shock.

"Well, this is quite out of character for Beelzebub." Aziraphale commented as he looked at Crowley.

"Well...I had Lucifer as much of a brother as someone could've had, but Beelzebub was like a little sister."

"S-So...this is really..." Michael started as she blinked at him several times. "...Raphael?"

"Yes, and this is Principality Aziraphale." Crowley grinned. "Our names so similar...don't you think? Why...one might say...it was Ineffable. Either way, yes, I WAS Raphael, and unless God restores me to being an Archangel once again, I will remain Crowley, but I am Aziraphale's."

"HA!" Hastur bursted out sarcastically. "Always knew you were a spineless pathetic thing, Crowley! Lowering yourself to an Angel."

"Hastur..." Crowley smirked as he walked over to him. "...what exactly do you think I was in Heaven."

"I heard them just now and I heard you...you were an Archangel! Not very important if you ask me! It's the second lowest."

"Uh-huh...well...I may have been turned into a demon, but had you ever wondered just WHY I was so different from the other demons?"

"Wait...he's different?" Gabriel questioned carefully.

"Yes." Beelzebub answered slowly, but then realization gleamed in her eyes like the stars she had watched Raphael make from a distance. "No way..." She whispered out.

"What is it?" Gabriel questioned, but Crowley just merely smirked.

"Well?" Crowley asked Hastur again.

"Why would I wonder about you? Such a screw up that you don't belong in Heaven or in Hell. Why would I care?"

"Did you know I walked in a church to save Aziraphale?"

"You WHAT!?" Michael and Hastur shouted at the same time in complete shock and astonishment.

"It's true." Aziraphale shrugged, earning the final look of realization from Gabriel.

"Oh my..."

It was one thing to hear Beelzebub say it in the way she said it, but Gabriel said it in a reverent tone that also for some reason held some relief. "Alright, now _I'm_ curious." Crowley moved away from Hastur to walk over to Gabriel. "What did the two of you figure out?"

"You can still...love." Beelzebub whispered in awe.

"You still have faith." Gabriel replied soon after.

"What does that make him, then?" Michael questioned.

"Hastur, go back to Hell." Beelzebub sighed out.

"NO!" He snapped. "I finally get the chance to fight this bastard and you tell me to go!? No!" Hastur moved swiftly with his hand turning up, summoning Hellfire into his palm. "I'm gonna roast the Principality's body slowly, then I'm going to tear Crowley up feather by feather! He's mocked me for too long!"

Before he could reach Aziraphale though, Crowley immediately moved in front of him, his heart blazing, and he immediately felt something shift in his grace. Something good, but he wasn't going to focus on that now. His power was swirling like the many galaxies he had created and he was only focused on one thing. Protect Aziraphale. "HALT!" Crowley's voice echoed everywhere and yet to one spot only. It rang and it was a whisper. It commanded and requested. It echoed everywhere, rang, and requested time to Halt, but the one that was sort of a whisper and a command was to force Hastur's flame into nonexistence. "I will not allow you to harm him. No one is to harm my mate. He is mine as much as I am his. You, lowly former angel, and over-glorified duke of Hell with less brains than a microorganism, have no right to even entertain the notion that you could harm a hair on his head or even fray a thread of his clothes. I was there when you were spoke into being as well. One of the last angels created. Not an Archangel or a Principality, but a normal angel. You were in charge of amphibians. Do not dare to entertain the notion that you can take me on. I can fight every last angel or former angel here, win, and still have enough energy to create a Nebula if I wish!"

"Y-Y-Y-You a-a-a-are n-nothing more th-than an A-Archangel!" Hastur cried out, clear fear in his eyes as his body was also frozen within the frozen time vortex Crowley had created from his single worded command that even stopped the winds themselves. Hastur growled, grunted, and forced through great amounts of effort to move, but he couldn't budge.

"Archangel was my title you ass. I was a Seraph first. Michael, Beelzebub, Gabriel, Lucifer...even Ligur knew I was once a Seraph. However, Ligur knew, because he was in MY Garrison of angels. My healers and Guardians, but then you two threatened to come hurt me and then to hurt my angel...my Principality...and I couldn't have that." With a snap of his fingers, time resumed, making the same sound a mother would make if they were to sigh out of pure relief for the safety of their child, which is what time practically was to Crowley, but that was another, much longer, explanation. "Fight me if you want, but you will lose. I may not be an Archangel or a Seraph anymore, but rest assured, I will destroy ANYONE who dares to harm Aziraphale, and I will do so without mercy and without care of previous ties! He is the most important being to me, and I will protect him until the last of my stars go out, and even if that were to happen, I would just create new ones so that it could never actually happen! Now, go back to hell you spineless slimy toad!" Crowley waved his hand and the Hellfire that was once in Hastur's hand appeared just below the demon's feet, quickly engulfing him in flames that grabbed him physically, dragging him down to Hell. "Anyone else want to have a go?"

"There's no point." Gabriel smiled softly before looking at Beelzebub, who hesitantly and shyly returned the smile. "You weren't the only Angel and demon to be granted God's blessing."

"Wait a minute, we didn't say anything about that." Crowley furrowed his brow in confusion before looking at Aziraphale, who was equally confused.

"I think I may be able to clear that up." Lucifer's voice came as he joined their little gathering.

"And who the Hell is this!?" Beelzebub sneared.

"Ah, who the Hell indeed." He smirked. "Funny that you remember Raphael, but not me. Former Archangel Samael, otherwise known as-"

"Lucifer!" She gasped with widened eyes. "H-How!?"

"Adam Young, that's how, but that's not the issue." He chuckled lightly before placing a hand on Crowley's shoulder. "Brother, you didn't see the show you put on just now, and quite frankly, I'm surprised Aziraphale's not reacting much to it, but um...you were glowing, and your entire aura was swimming with Holy Wrath."

"He's right." Aziraphale stated. "I noticed, but I didn't want to say anything." When Crowley whipped his head around to stare at Aziraphale with widened eyes of his own, Aziraphale gave him a small knowing look. "Best not to speculate. Right?"

"Hmm..." He chuckled warmly before nodding his head. "...you're right, but..." He turned to look at God, who was now smiling. "...was that what you expected?"

"What are you looking at me for?" Michael asked. "I mean, no, but..."

"No, the one behind you." Crowley shook his head.

"I expected a lot more fighting, but I was confident you and Aziraphale could handle it." She spoke, making the others freeze. Not due to a miracle or anything, they were just shocked to hear her voice, and even more shocked when she walked over to Crowley. "I gave Gabriel and Beelzebub my blessing just as I had done for you, but also in different ways. Beelzebub is still a demon, but, it will be up to you if she rises?"

"Wh-Why me!? She used to be in Aziraphale's Garrison!"

"Because, she followed you in the end."

"Wait...am I...?" He swallowed a thick lump in his throat that somehow pushed tears out of his eyes.

"If you want." God nodded.

He quickly looked at Aziraphale, who gave him a small smile. The same smile that always said, 'It's your decision, my dear.' He then turned to face God and nodded his head. "Yes. I would very much want."

"And what of Beelzebub?" God asked and they all turned to face the demon in question, Gabriel's single tear down his right cheek and controlled expressionless face NOT going unnoticed.

"Beelzebub, you're a demon right now." Crowley started. "I-If I allow you to rise, you would likely become part of my Garrison. Guardian Angels and Healers. You would have to be a good angel again. I could give you a new name, if you like, but no more evil. Is that what you want? I'm not asking for you to pick the right and good answer, or the answer I think you should pick. I'm asking what you want."

"I...I want." She nodded.

"Very well." Crowley sniffled.

"Michael, go back to Heaven. Have a Guardian Angel and Healer halo made and make it a tinted purple rather than green."

"Y-Yes, Lord!" She stuttered out before going back to Heaven.

"Right then." God breathed out, giving Lucifer a signal to step back. Once he did, she leaned down and kissed Crowley's forehead, returning ALL of his holy power and giving him a turquoise tinted halo.

"Why this color?" He wondered as he looked up above his brow before mentally turning the halo off.

"Two seconds of being an angel again and you're already asking questions." God laughed mirthfully. "Aziraphale's is a very light sky blue tint, while your's was an emerald green. So...I combined the two. Enjoy your life together. Oh...but before that...you have to give Beelzebub a new name. You promised."

Crowley nodded his head with a small smirk before looking at The soon-to-be-former-demon. "I know the perfect name, since she'll be the first true demon returning to the light. Your new name is Aurora." With that, Gabriel laughed out his joy and hugged his mate Aurora, and he transported them back to Heaven for her to be fitted for her Halo. "Curious..." Crowley started. "...when exactly did you give them your blessing?"

"While they were in the middle of talking about you and Aziraphale. All three of us had quite the discussion. Now, enough of that...Lucifer, I believe you have a demonic Hastur to deal with as you see fit for his transgressions against your brother, and these two need some alone time. Farewell, you two."

"Thank you, Mother." Crowley grinned as he watched both Lucifer and God leave the beach.

Once they were gone, Crowley turned to face Aziraphale, but was suddenly tackled to the ground by his Principality. "I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you!" Aziraphale repeated over and over again through his tears. "Oh, Crowley! No more hiding! No more about what Heaven and Hell might think!"

"It wouldn't have mattered if nothing changed, Angel." Crowley patted Aziraphale's back before gently pushing him up off of him to get a better look at him. "I meant every word I said. I'll love you for Eternity and then some if I have any say. Now...I do remember God just a few moments ago saying something about alone time?"

"O-Oh...yes...lets."

"They won't see us for weeks, Aziraphale, and after I'm done with you, you won't be able to walk for at least two days. Miracle or no."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Aziraphale moaned out before he got up off of Crowley, practically pulling him to stand as they made their way back to their cottage on ANOTHER first day of the rest of their lives, knowing the other a little bit better after everything that's happened.


End file.
